The Poison Apple
by vi-la-aria
Summary: Cinder, as the new queen of Luna, is loved and cherished by all. But not everyone believes justice has been brought to them. So when she accepts an invitation to visit Earth, her life and the lives of the people she holds close could be in more jeopardy than she'd originally thought.
1. The Invitation

**Hey!  
I've had this plot scribbled down in my notebook for a while and so I decided to write it as a means of relaxation from stressful school work! Hopefully, you enjoy it!**

* * *

The regolith towers of Luna loomed overhead, casting large shadows below. People hurried through their daily routines as they shuffled in and out of the booths that lined the streets. Cinder watched as a group of children chanted a nursery rhyme before they all collapsed onto the path, giggling. She had always loved the children for that; playing their games in the middle of nowhere, annoying people who had to walk around them to be on their way. Cinder smirked, reminding herself of the many times she'd adored the kids in New Beijing whenever they got in the way of customers.

She stopped in her tracks, her mind racing to grab the memories she had left behind so many years ago. Her life as a mechanic had been thrust away, and, as Cinder liked to think of it, she had been chained to a throne on the Moon. She didn't think it was so bad now, but she still had the sense of longing for her mechanic booth back on Earth.

Memories shifted through her brain as if the netscreen inside her head was playing it as a video in front of her eyes. She remembered her booth, in all its stuffy glory. She remembered Adri and Pearl, and Peony, whose name still scarred her heart.  
And she remembered him.  
His startling copper brown eyes and his midnight black hair had committed itself to her memory. She felt a sensation of desire for him, but she knew that was impractical. Not where she was now. She was all the way on the Moon. And he?  
Kai was on Earth.  
Far, far away.

Cinder made her way through the winding streets casually as if it was the most normal thing for a queen to do. People bowed their heads respectfully as they passed and Cinder felt obliged to return the gesture. Little children occasionally ran up to hug her or waved frantically at her until she waved back. She liked the attention a bit; it was different from the years of seclusion she'd experienced at her booth.

Nearing a fruit stall, her eyes swept over the apples on display. Ever since she'd tasted Luna apples, Cinder had fallen in love with them. They were like no other fruit she'd ever tasted, with sweet juice that trickled down the lips and a crunchiness that enhanced its flavour. She eagerly inched herself towards the basket and studied one in her hands. The surface was smooth and it looked as though it had been polished to the point where it glistened if a single ray of light fell upon it.

'You look very pretty today, Your Majesty,' a little voice squeaked through her thoughts. Cinder looked down to see a little girl with wavy blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Cinder was donned in a shimmering navy gown; the sleeves started just past her shoulders and ended in a pointed shape at her knuckles, the bottom hem of the dress settled on the floor. A navy blue rose was pinned to a complexly wrapped belt at her waist. She smiled and patted the girl on her head.

'Thank you,' she smiled. The girl kept her wide eyes trained on Cinder as if she could see all her wiring through her skin. Finally, she spoke.  
'Have you found a king yet?! I really want a king!' The girl's eyes were bright and hopeful and Cinder almost felt like telling the girl a lie, but she knew the truth was what she wanted.  
'No,' Cinder laughed. 'Perhaps someone will come soon and be the shining star of my sky.'  
'I hope that's soon!'

Almost everyone in Luna, especially the children, fantasised about a King. They seemed to think it fitting their Queen have a man by her side to run affairs and make her happy. The children just wanted some romance to fangirl about. Cinder thought otherwise. The girl turned around as her mother appeared from a crowd of people and with one final hug; she skipped away and disappeared into a store.

The artificial light reflecting off the store window blinded Cinder's eyes, making her tear her gaze away from the shop the girl had gone into. Another thing Cinder missed from Earth; the weather. She liked experiencing the beautiful weather shifts in New Beijing, gazing at the sky from her booth, wondering what the weather would be like the next day. Here on Luna, it was all controlled forecast and so most of the days went by with continual weather cycles depending on the citizen's needs. Although it was convenient for the agricultural sides of Luna and everything else that depended on the weather, Cinder just didn't think it felt right.

A stream of green text flowed past her vision, her thoughts being broken for the second time with a message from Scarlet.  
_Comm from the EC officials. Requesting to speak to you immediately. _  
Her heart racing, taking on her diplomatic side, she apologised profusely as she slipped through huddled people and rushed back towards the palace.

She was just in time, slipping into her seat for the meeting, as Scarlet, Cinder's Royal adviser, finished a quick speech for an excess matter. Cinder's gaze swept over each Union leader, whose eyes were on her. And then she saw him. Kai looked bored as ever, raking his hand through his hair, something he'd always done. Cinder had always loved the gesture; it was one of his cute habits. Their eyes locked, and his lips quirked into a teasing smile, knowing that she would have been blushing if she had the ability to. Scowling, she turned her attention away from him.

'So what are we sitting here for?' Queen Camilla's voice filled the vid-link's speaker system.  
'I believe the young Emperor called this meeting,' President Vargas said. 'Well, Emperor?'  
All eyes shifted to Kai, who had his chin settled on his cupped hands. He straightened in his chair before addressing the other leaders.

'I know it was a random meeting but it is a necessary one according to Torin.' Kai showed no enthusiasm in his words, earning a disapproving glare from the man behind him.  
'I understand this is a very short notice but the Commonwealth will be holding a party on April 7. We extend our invitations to all Union leaders,' Torin said. Cinder remembered him as Kai's royal advisor. She thought he'd always found her an annoying brat in Kai's life.  
'Why the random function?' Governor-General Williams asked looking as bored as Kai, which was something since it was often Kai who was the most bored of all.

There was a momentary silence as everyone thought of an answer. Something in Cinder's brain clicked. She found herself smiling at the thought but she masked it with a poker face.  
'His Majesty's birthday.'  
All eyes shifted to Cinder. She shuffled uncomfortably, hating the fact that everyone's attention, including Kai's, was trained on her. But she had no reason to be unnerved by their enlarged faces upon the screens and she looked them all in the eye, sitting a little straighter.

'Emperor Kaito's birthday,' Cinder repeated, forcing herself to raise her head. Kai flashed a charming grin at her, which killed her defences almost instantaneously.  
'You have good memory. Yes, it will be my 22nd Birthday. The point, though, is if you would be as gracious to accept the invitation,' Kai said, drumming his fingers against the table he was seated at. He eyed each Union leader as if daring them to decline and it seemed as though they graciously accepted it.

'I think I'll pass on the invitation with all due respect,' Prime Minister Bromstad of the European Federation said. Slowly, each of the other Union members declined, hurrying nonsensical excuses about things to do. Cinder thought it was just because they couldn't care less about a birthday and it was doing none of their countries any good. Kai glared at them accusingly but said nothing. The silence dragged on.

'I'll accept.'  
All eyes once again shot to the Lunar queen who'd spoken their eyes wide in surprise. Cinder had only come to Earth 3 times over the 4 years she'd been queen; twice to sign documentations and once for a tribute to Farafrah, the small African town whose people lost their lives to help her back when she was a fugitive. She didn't see the need in coming for no reason and she'd always felt uncomfortable at the way people, especially the media, stared at her. She thought it was just because she was a cyborg girl who everyone had criticised and hated from their hearts who'd turned out to be the lost princess who won them freedom from a lifetime of horror and slavery. But just this once, because the others were disagreeing, she'd accept.

'I'll come,' Queen Camilla said just as quickly as she'd declined. Cinder smirked. She knew Queen Camilla just couldn't stand having another queen in the Union. Now that Cinder was here, both the people on Earth and Luna had taken to idolising her instead, and soon enough she became a hit with almost everything, leaving Queen Camilla to sit on her throne in jealousy. And if Queen Selene would be attending the party, then so would Camilla.

Cinder didn't mind the rivalry, possibly because she really didn't care if she was idiolised or not. The people of Luna wanted her and that was all that mattered. Besides, Cinder's beauty was genuine; her brown hair draped perfectly down her back and her tanned skin was almost flawless. Camilla's was not much so; her years of many plastic surgery attempts had made her face look like she'd just eaten a lemon and the taste was permanently in her mouth.

It seemed everyone else had decided they'd attend too as they all agreed into coming._ Figures _Cinder thought, and Kai seemed to be thinking the same thing as they shared a smirk. Cinder knew all of them just wanted a chance into bribing her to come to their countries and take a chance at becoming her favourite Union leader. She didn't have a favourite, didn't want a favourite. Cinder had classed most of the Union leaders as disinterested political leaders who rarely showed any sign of emotion besides the usual distasteful glares or the bribery kindness she received from them.

'So you're all going to come now?' Kai asked, giving them a smug look.  
'Wonderful!' Torin smiled. 'I do hope the Eastern Commonwealth will live up to your expectations. We will inform our citizens of your attendance and will gladly welcome you to our country.'  
Kai still wore the smug look but nodded in appreciation.  
'I look forward to your presence,' Kai said, nodding like he really meant it, but, of course, Cinder knew him well enough to know he was just teasing them. And with a final nod of acknowledgement at each other, Cinder found herself staring at her reflection in the blank screens.

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**I really do hope you enjoyed it! I don't mind any constructive criticism or reviews in general!  
Please do so if you have the time because I'd love to know your opinions of my writing.**

**Thank you,  
Arya**


	2. The Rush Of Preparations

**And….Chapter two arrives!  
I apologise if the events rush a little more than they were supposed to but I felt I was dragging on so…  
Enjoy, I suppose?!**

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Kai tapped at his portscreen, sending away various documents without bothering to read through them. He raked a hand through his hair and leant back in his seat. All morning he'd been trying to do something productive in his office, but to his dismay he'd been as unproductive as ever, taking the childish pleasure of spinning casually in his chair.

His mind kept drifting to the meeting he'd left hours ago. He smiled at the thought, replaying how all the Union leaders had declined because they weren't bothered coming. But then she'd accepted and they'd all suddenly changed their minds. The Lunar queen, who rarely spoke or attended Union meetings, had agreed to come.

His eyes caught on a metal object, glinting in the Spring sun. A metal foot. But not just any metal foot. Cinder's metal foot; the one he'd picked up from the stairs at the ball a couple of years ago when he'd learned she was both cyborg and Lunar. He reached out to touch it but a robotic voice snagged his attention away.

'_Royal Advisor Konn Torin requesting permission to enter'  
_'Permission granted,' he muttered wheeling his chair back into the desk.  
Torin came in, setting down a tray of assorted sweets on the table.  
'I'm glad to see you've been working hard,' Torin said, giving Kai a quick bow. A small pang of guilt filled Kai's chest. Torin thought he had finally gotten to understand the documents that had been lying there for days and he really didn't want to tell him the opposite. He nodded instead.

'It's so much fun I can't think of anything I would want to do other than this,' Kai said sarcastically.  
'How about getting yourself to the meeting with Tashmi Priya that you're supposed to be present at in a few minutes?'  
Kai sighed heavily, studying a biscuit he'd taken from the plate.  
'Oh! That's even more fun! What are we discussing today? Balloon colours?'

Kai stood up, closing the files on his portscreen. He could tell Torin was trying to remain expressionless.  
'Just go before you're late!' Torin urged. Sandwiching the biscuit between his lips, Kai jogged through the hallways of the palace towards the gardens where the party organiser was waiting for him.

'Any preferences for seafood, poultry or meat?'  
Kai peered at the party organiser through the bangs that were partially covering his eyes. 'No, whatever the chef feels like making.' It had been an hour already and he, Torin and Priya were still sorting what food should be at the party.

'Do you have any likings as to the cake?' Tashmi Priya asked. Kai looked at her. She was delighted to have taken the task of the birthday preparations after the wedding between Levana and he ended in disaster. Put together neatly in a red sari she seemed to be enjoying the Spring sun.  
'Surprise me,' Kai answered. Torin glared at him disapprovingly.

'Your Majesty, you ought to put a bit more effort into this. After all, all the Union leaders will be in attendance,' he muttered.  
'I don't need to impress them!' Kai childishly argued back. A teasing look appeared on Torin's face. Kai raised his eyebrows in question.  
'Do you not want to impress Her Majesty Queen Selene?' Torin asked. He and Priya shared a knowing smile.  
It was Kai's turn to glare. Very few people knew his true feelings towards Cinder and, unfortunately, Torin was one of them. He shot Torin a sour face, before turning back to Priya.

'Continue, Tashmi Jiě,' he said.  
Priya tapped in a few buttons on her portscreen before looking up at him. 'You seem to be quite restless today, Your Majesty. Perhaps it is because you've been doing nothing but diplomatic stuff all morning. Maybe you should take a rest. I'll sort out some more details with Torin,' she smiled. Kai knew she was just using a nicer way of telling him he was being of no use and she might as well have been talking to a brick wall, but he took the words as an excuse to slip back into the palace and relax.

* * *

He dreamt that he was following a girl under the moonlight, with the stars twinkling to the rhythm of her voice. He was wearing a simple white shirt, black pants and hard leather boots. The cool breeze ruffled his hair as he swerved to miss a tree in the never-ending forest they were in.

He caught sight of her a few metres away, standing quietly, her face turned so he could not see her features. She was in a polar white dress that reached her knees, contrasting with her tanned skin, and a satin belt that wrapped around her waist before settling into a big bow from behind. A wreath of beautifully scented flowers decorated her fine brown hair that brushed her elbows. She was barefoot, but even so, she was the most beautiful girl Kai had laid eyes on.

He neared her and she let out a laugh, soft and sweet, before spinning lightly on her toes and disappearing into the next cloud of bushes and trees.

It kept going like this, he following her, desperately trying to catch up, and she waiting before taking off again. He could barely hear her over the crunching of leaves under his feet, but he knew she was calling his name. _Kai. Kai. _Over and over again. It was as if he was entranced by her voice, that he kept running, unaware of anything around him, only focused on reaching her, on settling his eyes upon her. He came to a stop as he entered a clearing, bending over to catch his breath.

The grass sparkled with dew and the trees swayed gently. The moonlight danced on the ocean surface before him and the stars shimmered on the surface. The place looked beautiful, almost magical. Something caught his attention in the middle of the clearing and he straightened.

She was there, facing him with her head bowed, her hands hanging limply by her sides. Rays of moonlight shone around her, and she looked almost like an angel amidst the darkness. He inched towards her fearful that she might take off again, but she didn't move. He stopped right in front of her and finally she spoke, her honey voice sweet and calm.

'Kai,' she whispered before she raised her head and looked him in the eyes.  
Kai gasped, his eyes widening at the sight before him. Her warm brown eyes looked at him innocently but he was frozen to the spot as he registered her appearance. He tried to speak, but his voice was non-existent.

He ached to reach out and touch her, hug her, call her name, but he was paralysed to the spot. She reached out to him, and touched his cheek, drawing small contours with her finger.  
'Kai,' she whispered again. It seemed as though her voice had given him enough power to break out of his trance.

'Selene,' he murmured, as he reached forward and brushed her lips with his fingers.  
And then she vanished and he was plunged into a void of darkness.

Kai woke with a start. He was gasping for air as if he'd run miles and sweat beaded his arms and face. He raked a hand through his tousled hair, finally regaining control of his ragged breathing. Her image was still fresh in his mind as he sat up and pulled the first shirt he could find on.

He heard the pinging sound of his portscreen and reached to take it from his bedside table. _Press Conference was supposed to start a few minutes ago. Where are you?! _Kai internally kicked himself. He'd been in such a deep sleep he hadn't heard the numerous comms Torin had sent him. Combing his hair as best he could with his fingers, he ran towards the press conference room.

'I thank you all for patiently waiting for this conference to start.' Kai stood behind the podium, camera flashes blinding him as a crowd of journalists waited for him to continue.  
'The reason I called you all here today was because the palace has organised a party to commemorate my 22nd birthday,' Kai continued in a monotonous tone.

More flashes reflected off the flag behind him. 'All Union leaders have been invited and all of them will be in attendance,' he paused to let what he just said sink in before continuing, 'including Queen Selene Of Luna.' The moment the words left his mouth, he heard a collective gasp from the journalists. Kai knew they weren't expecting such a turn of events since Selene hadn't found much interest in coming to Earth. He waited for the murmur of voices to dissipate into the air.

'I am unaware of when they decide to arrive, but it will be noted if any of them arrive earlier than expected. Invitations will be sent out with the necessity that anyone attending will need to confirm before the given date. Any more details can be found via the link on your portscreens or by sending a comm to the palace. I will not be taking any questions today. Thank you.'

Kai slipped off the podium as questions erupted from journalists regardless and the press secretary took over trying to calm the boisterous crowd of journalists and attendees, all vying for answers.

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**Thank you for taking your time to continue reading!  
I really do hope you liked it,**

**Arya **


	3. An eye for an eye

**Sorry for not updating sooner but I had so many assignments and things going on, I only had a few minutes of each period at school to complete this.  
Enjoy!**

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She remembered the fateful night as if it had committed itself to her memory. She remembered the screams that tore through the silence of the darkness, the blood that stained the floor and the loss that came with it. That horror-filled night had ripped her world into pieces like a mirror shattering into a million fractals.

And it was that entire wretched Queen's fault.  
The Queen that everyone thought of as their saviour, she thought of as her enemy.  
The Queen that everyone wanted to be like, she wanted to destroy.  
And she would. She just had to wait for the right time.  
And the Emperor had given her the perfect chance.

_All Union leaders will be attending including Queen Selene of Luna. _The words hung in the silence of the room as she pulled her hair into a bun. _Including Queen Selene of Luna. _She had smiled at those words; a bitter smirk twisted with revenge and hatred. She had days to prepare the Queen's fate knowing that she would stay for a day or two after the party, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that the Queen would be here, in the very Commonwealth, vulnerable and weak, just as she, herself, had once been on that night.

Gathering her work tools and slipping them into her bag, she glanced at the digital frame that hung on the wall. The images came and went; pictures of her smiling and laughing with the people she loved most. Pictures of her loved ones, enjoying their life.  
Pictures of the dead.

Gritting her teeth, she closed the video of the press conference on her portscreen and shuffled out the door. Today she would start work on her devious plan.  
Today, she would start work on the Queen's new nightmare.  
And she knew just how to do it.  
And just where to strike.

* * *

The days came and went and April 7th grew nearer. And as those days passed, she'd worked harder and harder. In the secrecy of the nights, she'd slipped unnoticed to her work spot, mixing chemicals and samples, experimenting and perfecting each and every one of them.

She carried herself with a new sort of pride; one of achievement and, soon, victory. People noticed her change, but no one dared to ask. They seemed to think it was because she had gotten over her loved ones' passing. But they were wrong. Oh, so wrong. She had never and would never, get over that. She paid close attention to the palace's updates on the function and read through all the gossip columns regarding the Luna Queen; something she never did.

And as the night of the 6th fell into place, she had finished. She looked at the final product in her hands, glossy and beautiful. She would never have thought gossip columns had the potential to give revenge a simpler path than outright offense. Sitting on her bed, she watched as the anchorman on her room's netscreen mumbled on about how the Luna Queen was set to arrive tonight. Pictures of the media lined around the docking place of the New Beijing palace enlarged behind him and various close-ups of the Emperor dominated the screens.

Everyone was contemplating as to how he would react to the appearance of his "friend" as they liked to hint out. Talk spread of all the possible romance stories of the Queen and Emperor like wildfire. She took in the Emperor's appearance. Dressed casually in black pants and a white overcoat that looked more like a jacket, his hair was tousled from the breeze and the many times he'd raked his hands through his hair. Apparently the Queen had insisted he not wear anything too formal. Torin, his royal advisor, stood beside him and they were talking in low voices so the cameras wouldn't pick up on anything.

The Emperor seemed genuinely nervous, rocking back and forth on his heels, waiting for the Lunar spaceship to arrive. She pulled on a jacket and cuddled up in her quilts and waited and waited and waited for the ship to come.  
And she closed her eyes and waited.

Her eyes fluttered open to a humming noise from the netscreens. Flinging herself into a sitting position, she watched as the Lunar spaceship descended onto the landing dock, landing with a soft thud. She nodded, impressed; hardly any professional pilot could land with such precision as this pilot had just done. The tiny gems that were encrusted upon the exterior surface of the ship glinted and sparkled in the moonlight.

She caught sight of the Emperor rubbing his hands together. He looked extremely tense and she remembered all the discussions on his feelings for the Lunar Queen. They were more speculations but she thought it was quite obvious he did have something for her, however small it may have been. A slight pang of jealousy burned in her. Why did the Lunar Queen have loved ones who were so anxious to see her when she had none? Her loved ones had died because of that Queen. It wasn't fair. But she found herself smiling. It soon would be fair.  
An eye for an eye. Wasn't that how the saying went?

The ramp of the ship opened and everyone craned their necks to get the first look at the Queen. To their dismay, however, a few guards came out instead. She recognised the two in charge from years of watching them be the bodyguards of the Queen; Ze'ev Kesley, the captain of all the mutated wolves guards and the shell guards, and Jacin Clay, the captain of the guard for the usual royal Lunar guards. Queen Selene had insisted that the shells and mutated guards be in a separate squad from the normal guards because they required different training. They lined the ramp; Ze'ev and his few guards on the left and Jacin and his squad on the right.

She also recognised the Queen's programmer and the shell representative, Crescent Moon Darnel, and Carswell Thorne, who she remembered was in charge of all spaceships and travel on Luna. She watched as they were greeted by the Emperor and advisor, shaking hands and smiling. Scarlet Benoit, Royal Lunar advisor, came next. She didn't understand why she was the advisor, considering she wasn't even Lunar, but the Queen persevered. Princess Winter came beside her, floating gracefully towards the Emperor who greeted them both with smiles and an easy laugh. She gritted her teeth in annoyance. Why was the Queen taking so long?!

She saw the guards lining the ramp stiffen. The Emperor had his gaze set on the spaceship's door, his eyes widening in surprise. She set her eyes where he was looking and watched as Queen Selene stepped out onto the ramp. She analysed the Queen's appearance.

The Queen was dressed in a satin cream coloured dress. It started just below her shoulders, outlining her shape to a gold belt at her waist, before loosely flowing to the ground, the back trailing a bit longer behind her. Lace sleeves started past her shoulders and ended in a pointed shape at her knuckles. A slit that opened up at the front of her dress at knee-length revealed a bit of her leg as she walked. Her cream coloured heels tapped against the metal of the ramp. A few small golden flowers pinched strands of her hair together, leaving the rest to flow down in waves.

Queen Selene took her time with each step, her gaze flickering over the media and the docking place, before landing on Emperor Kaito. The Queen nodded in greeting at his advisor, who bowed to her as she came to a stop in front of them. It was only then, looking at the Emperor and the Queen standing face to face, that she realised just how tall the Emperor was. The Queen's forehead was parallel to his lips and considering that she was wearing heels, he must have been at least a head and a bit taller than her.

Giving her a quick bow as his advisor had done, the Emperor took her right hand and brushed a kiss against it. He kissed it for a second too long and when he stood straight again, their hands remained intertwined for another moment before they fell back to their respective sides.

She turned away from the netscreen, clenching her fists. It was unbearable to watch them even at a distance. That Queen deserved no one! In a spite of anger, she shrieked for the screen to switch off.  
She would have her revenge.  
That Queen would pay for what happened.  
In the same way, she, herself, had paid.

* * *

**Sorry if it got a bit too confusing with the 'she' since there was both the Queen and the girl here who I used that for. But hopefully it wasn't too difficult in identifying which was for which.  
Thanks for reading it though!**

**Arya **


	4. A Reunion Under The Night Sky

**My edits only began after chapter three, so the first three chapters remain untouched and only this chapter and the next one were the ones that were edited. **

**So after editing and proofreading chapters 3 and 4, I ended up with this as the final copy… **

**Sorry for that inconvenience of having to re-read this, but I hope my writing was at least a bit better than before.**

* * *

Stars, he looked handsome.

He was a few feet away from the ramp, his hair being ruffled by the wind, his hands calmly placed in his pocket. He was dressed in simple attire, just like Cinder had asked him to; but even so, he still looked like the teen heartthrob she so often saw on the netscreens. Her eyes darted to the cameras around her and the journalists hungry to capture every bit of their reunion.

After all, she hadn't seen him in years.

Beside Kai, his royal advisor, Torin, gave her a low bow. She nodded in his direction, but Kai quickly caught her attention again as he followed suite, brushing a long kiss against her hand. Their hands remained intertwined for another moment before dropping back to their respective sides.

'Welcome back to the Eastern Commonwealth,' Kai said, smiling. 'Perhaps we should go inside. It's getting dark.'  
'That would be lovely,' Cinder replied before she stepped aside to let Winter and the others follow Torin to the elevator bank. Kai and Cinder followed after.

The elevator ride reminded Cinder of the time it were just her and Kai, back when she was no more than a lab rat for Dr Erland, and he the ever-so-charming prince. He was close to kissing her then, so close to kissing her, but then the pain had exploded in her and she was sent gasping for air in his arms on the elevator floor. He still wouldn't tell her what he saw that day, in the elevator, but she suspected it had been her glamour.

The elevator doors opened and they walked out single-file. The walk was like a funeral procession; no one talked or smiled, just placidly followed one another eager to close their eyes and rest their heads. It had been a long night for them all.

Nothing in the palace had really changed since her last visit; ancient historic statues still lined the hallways, the red carpets with their golden designs still looked the same and the ceiling-to-floor windows showed the ever-beautiful Commonwealth extending as far as the eye could see.

'Here we are.' Torin's voice broke her trail of thoughts as they entered the hallway in the guest wing. He gestured towards the first few set of doors and her friends thanked him graciously as they made their way to their rooms.  
'Thank you for accommodating us so wonderfully given that it is late at night,' Scarlet told her fellow advisor before disappearing into a room with Wolf behind her. It was only seeing Scarlet and Wolf disappear into their room that she remembered they were married. She still hadn't gotten used to the fact, even after almost a year.

She mumbled a thank you to Torin once again before taking the last room. The room wasn't like her chambers in Luna but it was good enough for her taste. After all, anything was better than the tiny old room she'd lived most her life in under Adri's care. The bed was in the centre with curtains draping over it for privacy. A large ceiling-to-floor window was set to the right wall and a dressing table was set to the left with a large mirror beside it. A door near to her opened up into an en-suite bathroom.

She dreamed that she was in a room. It felt more like a furnace with the metal walls glowing red with heat from the flames that danced around her. Embers shot up into the air above her, but none touched her. _Yet_. The flames grew bigger, stronger and hotter. They towered over her, threatening to consume her within seconds. But it wasn't the flames that were bothering her so much; rather it was what they contained in them.

Pictures shimmered on each flame, each with a different horror tale to tell. One had Scarlet laying on the floor, slumped over a large boulder with blood trickling down her side. Another had Cress, falling to her death, her screams filling Cinder's ears. Cinder tried to reach out, to grab hold of her, but she couldn't move, couldn't reach. Cress dissolved into the blackness. The others followed, each in a different flame inching closer to her; Thorne being shot, his body convulsing, Jacin being stabbed, the blood sprouting out, Winter going insane, tearing her own flesh apart and Wolf, his howls ear-piercing as he disappeared under a pack of hungry wolves.

She opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came, only a hoarse sob.  
'No, no, no,' she whispered, reaching out to try grab at her friends, but the flames pounced onto her and her flesh burned on impact. She thrust her hand away, but it was too late.  
The flames advanced.

They climbed up her body; eating at her skin, melting her prosthetic parts, reducing her to ash. She tried desperately to disperse them, rolling around, rubbing at her arms, but they were in vain. Her friends' images screamed at her. But as the flames ate, she saw one more thing.  
Kai.  
He lay there in the very room, his head lulled to face her. His eyes were red and his skin pale. Blood covered the rest.

And the flames covered her and the world went dim.

She woke up on the floor, the quilt wrapped around her legs complexly. The air was humid and hot, but she dismissed it as her mind playing tricks and shut her eyes. She was still shaking when she sensed the bio-electricity of someone over her. She opened her eyes to be met with concerned copper eyes and black hair hanging unkempt across his brow.  
'Hey,' Kai whispered pulling her into an embrace when she broke into a fit of tearless sobs. He rocked her back and forth, his lips pressed against her hair, occasionally murmuring reassurances.

'Were my screams that loud you heard from your bedroom?' She murmured when she had control of her emotions. He laughed and her heart warmed; his laugh had always been one of her favourite things about him.  
'I was passing the guest hallway when I heard you and I got worried so I came,' he said, standing up before helping her up. 'Shall we take a walk? Maybe it'll ease your mind.'  
She nodded and let him lead her down the hallways and into the palace garden.

They stopped by the Koi pond, and she clambered onto the bench in front of it. She watched as the Koi fish swam about, slipping through the water plants occasionally coming to the surface in hopes she had food.  
'Even trapped by the walls of the pond, they look like they're free. I too wish to be like that one day; even with the walls around me, to be free from the nightmares and the troubles I carry,' she murmured.  
Kai moved to stand behind her and she turned so she was facing him, still standing on the bench on her knees. He slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her hair.  
'Was your nightmare about being trapped?' he whispered against her hair.  
She nodded, and in the silence of the night, told him.

It was like mindlessly speaking; letting your mind drift away to capture the memories while your heart took control and whispered on about the things that were locked up inside it for so long. And all that time she was murmuring, he stood there and listened patiently.  
And then he'd pulled her close, stroking her hair, his lips pressed against her head. It was moments like this when Cinder wished that time could stop and everyone could just disappear and it would only be the two of them. It would only be the two of them forever.  
But that was impossible.

He pulled away, just enough to look into her eyes and carried her off the bench, settling her on the floor. And before she knew it, they were dancing, talking and laughing, with only the starlight to guide them.

'And then Artemisia lights up in a splendour of luminescence; All the buildings have laser light projected on them that show the history of Luna in a series of pictures and motions; The streetlights constantly change colour as you walk past it and the paths themselves take on a new theme every year; And once you get to the palace courtyard the fountains there change colour every time they spurt water and sometimes the fountains make figures that move or dance using water and light. It's truly amazing!' As Cinder blabbered on about the annual festival Luna held in commemoration of her being crowned and a new future for the country, Kai listened patiently, asking questions from time to time before spinning her under his arm or dipping her low.  
'And Earth is getting hyped about a birthday party,' Kai mused aloud. Cinder laughed.

They came to a stop, and she found him looking at their feet and frowned.  
'Where are your shoes?'  
Cinder looked from her bare feet to his canvas shoes and back to her bare feet. She gave him a sheepish smile. 'I forgot them.'  
He shrugged and carried her off the ground and towards the door they'd come from. He set her down once they were inside and they made their way to the elevator bank. It was only now that Cinder realised just how tired she was and she could see Kai was also feeling sleepy as he rubbed his eyes.

They slipped into the elevator together and she leaned on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist. The doors began to close but then stopped midway.  
_Please hold._  
The android's voice pierced the silence and Cinder could see the disappointment in Kai's eyes of not being the only ones in the elevator. He groaned and let go of her and she slipped to a respective distance.

Within a few seconds, a girl, who looked about the same age as Cinder, shuffled in. She was a palace researcher; Cinder could tell from the lab coat she was wearing.  
'I'm sorry for keeping you wai-' she paused as her emerald eyes darted from the Luna queen to the Commonwealth emperor standing before her. The elevator doors closed.  
'Y-Y-Your Majesties,' she stammered, bending into a quick bow, her hands still clutching the various files she was holding. Kai nodded at her as she straightened.

The girl tucked a strand of her wavy caramel hair behind her ear.  
'Why are you up so late at night?' Kai asked, flashing his signature smile at her. Cinder rolled her eyes; count on Kai to send every girl in a frenzy of trying to impress. She fiddled with her files for a moment before meeting his gaze.  
'I-I was umm…I was just filing some documents and making sure all the lab rooms were locked.'

Her eyes took in Cinder, short gown, barefoot and all. For a rare moment, Cinder was glad she couldn't blush. She observed the girl as her eyes went from Cinder to Kai as if trying to figure out why they were awake. Awake, together and alone. She was just about to make up an excuse for the girl when Kai interrupted.  
'I was showing Her Majesty around the palace to refresh her memory of where everything was,' Kai lied. The girl nodded furiously.  
'Of course,' she smiled.  
The elevator stopped at the guest wing and the doors opened. Excusing themselves quickly, Cinder and Kai hurried out, leaving the girl to stare at them as the doors closed.

She went into the en-suite bathroom of her room to wash her feet and when she came out she saw Kai fixing the bed's quilts. She murmured a thank you and walked to the side of the bed. Kai followed behind her. She had expected him to have left by now considering the tired state he was in, but instead he just slipped into the bed beside her. She raised an eyebrow but even so she internally smiled; she wanted him to stay with her for as long as he could. He shrugged and pulled her closer.

Cinder pressed her face against his shirt and the smell of cologne filled her nose. They lay still for a while, with her lost in his shirt and him with his lips planted on her hair. Cinder could feel his breaths travelling down her neck as his lips brushed her ear.  
'Stars…you're not glamouring me are you?' he whispered.  
Cinder frowned. 'No, of course not.'  
He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes as if to make sure she was telling the truth. His gaze lingered for a moment, lost in thought. And without a second's hesitation, he leaned forward and planted his lips on hers. She whimpered lightly on impact, but soon her arms had made their way around his neck and his to her waist and they lay there in the still darkness.

His lips felt cool and she could taste a hint of mint, probably from dinner. His hands tightened securely around her waist as if he were scared she'd vanish in a moment's breath. Cinder pulled away, but only managed a small breath before Kai filled the space again. She could feel his lips pressing harder against hers, hungry for the pleasure it brought him. The clock made a loud ticking noise as its hands struck to the number twelve. She pulled away.

'Happy Birthday,' she whispered against his lips.

* * *

**It was mostly just re-wording and merging with only a few things changed. **

**If you're curious about what I meant about the luminescent displays and stuff, I took inspiration from something called Vivid Sydney. So if you want to see what it looks like, just search vivid (and the water figure stuff is called the aquatique within Vivid).**

**Thank you so much for your patience!**


	5. The Fateful Night

**And the final editing I did for the last two chapters that were updated (which includes the one I took off before)**

**Thank you for bearing with me!**

* * *

All eyes were set on the Lunar queen as she descended down the flight of stairs into the ballroom. Her gaze was set on the floor, the light reflecting off the glitter and flowers that decorated her wavy flowing hair, like a galaxy of stars and planets. Her watermelon-coloured dress settled on the floor, ruffling as she walked. Her shoulders were left exposed, the bell sleeves starting just under her shoulders and ending at her knuckles with a cuff of gold. A golden crystal floral appliqué belt found its way around her waist where two long sheets of material started, coming to hang loosely over the actual dress, parting when she walked. Her watermelon-coloured heels tapped against the steps. Though she walked with an aura of grace and elegance she walked with the posture of a person of power.

In other words, she was beautiful.

She came to stand beside Kai as the other Union leaders pounced on her with flatter and the cameras flashed around her.  
'Well don't you look lovely today,' Prime Minister Kamin's voice rang out.  
'As always. She really does have a wonderful sense of fashion,' Prime Minister Bromstad smiled.  
Kai had read the many gossip columns about the Lunar queen in his spare time; it was the only thing that kept him updated about her when they went for weeks without talking, which was too often. The columns mostly always targeted her fashion sense; there had been a time when she was criticised for her clothes. Now she was being praised for it. Kai couldn't help but smile.

Kai caught Camilla's envious glare headed towards Cinder as she came to stand on the other side of the Lunar queen. Cinder was taller than her by quite a bit and her face looked genuinely youthful, unlike Camilla's who'd suffered several plastic surgery operations. Kai couldn't help but notice how much Cinder had changed, not only in looks but the way she carried herself; strong and demurely; and the way she spoke; soft and sweet, yet wise and powerful.

'Thank you. I will be sure to tell my designer of your kind words. She will be truly flattered,' Cinder smiled.  
'The most beautiful woman in the room, don't you think Camilla?' Kai mused and he could see the England queen's nostrils flaring.  
'Oh yes. Her Majesty never seems to fail at looking her best,' Camilla's forced kind words rolled out monotonously.  
Cinder gave Kai a glare of disapproval, but behind it was a smile Kai knew would be there; they often spent nights laughing about the Queen's jealousy.

The music began to fill Kai's ears and all the male Union leaders looked at one another telepathically telling the others to back off. Hands shot out toward Cinder and for a moment she looked startled and uncomfortable. She took a step back to survey the hands.  
'It will be an honour, Your Majesty,' Bromstad said, his lips quirking into a flirtatious smile that was perhaps a bit too unsettling for Queen Selene given his age.  
'I am sure Her Majesty would love to dance with me!' Williams interrupted, coaxing her with a wave of his hand. Kai gave them both disgruntled looks, mixing in a bit of disgust.

Who were _they _to ruin _his_ night?

Kai's hand was the only one that remained at a respectful distance. Around them, spectators looked on and Kai caught a few whispers, perhaps betting on whose hand Cinder would take. Journalists tapped furiously at their portscreens to document what was happening, others taking the pleasure of using cameras, no doubt zooming into the hands. Cinder looked a bit dishevelled from all the attention and the hands inching towards her, invading her personal space.

Kai cleared his throat. 'Perhaps,' he started, letting everyone's attention land on him before continuing, 'you should let Her Majesty decide without everyone yapping in her ear and jabbing her with hands.'  
He received a few hateful glares from the others, but they retracted their hands. Cinder shot him a thank you smile, before inching towards Kai. He held out his hand and she took it.

'Just this once Emperor,' she said a bit sterner than he'd expected. 'Birthday boy privileges.'  
He smirked as he led her away from the crowd, and he was sure he saw a few disappointed looks from guests who'd probably lost their bets.

The hall was soon busy with fluttering gowns and tailcoats as partners danced their way around the room. Cameras still flashed around Kai and Cinder, and the few girls that weren't dancing were watching in awe, as Cinder's hair sparkled with glitter. Kai knew he was staring at her intently, but he couldn't help it. She was the very definition of perfection in his eyes, if not everyone else's. Cinder hummed a few bars of the melody the orchestra were playing and sang a few words.

'When did you learn to sing?' he asked, before spinning her under his arm.  
'Winter and Cress. They often sang when we took walks around Artemisia,' Cinder replied, before singing a few notes, her melodious voice drifting through the atmosphere.

'You're beautiful.'  
Cinder looked up at his random comment even though it was in a low voice so the cameras didn't pick up.  
'You're beautiful. Always was, always is,' he repeated, dipping her low.  
'I don't think a rain-soaked cyborg is the common definition of beautiful,' she murmured and he knew they were both remembering the time she'd danced with him at the 126th annual peace ball, earning very envious and distasteful stares. He laughed.  
'Who cares about common? You're my definition of beautiful. No matter what you look like, mechanic or queen, you're _my_ definition of perfection.' He knew it sounded cheesy and he knew she was partially unconvinced from the soft laugh that escaped her lips.

They danced a few steps before Cinder's arms found their way around his neck. He slipped his arms around her waist and he was tempted, oh so tempted, to close the space. But he didn't, so they danced a bit more.  
'It's been a long time since I've been here,' Cinder mused as she looked around and up towards the ceiling. 'Oh, a new chandelier!'  
Kai smirked.' Yeah. Took a while to build this one to replace the chandelier you shattered that night.'  
She pouted innocently as if to convince him it wasn't her fault. He laughed before they returned to their respective dance positions.  
'This one's better anyway,' she muttered. 'The old one looked like it was some cannonball.'

The crowds parted for them as they made their way around the room, some cheering and others clapping. They were at the centre of the room now, and they danced a few more steps before Kai slipped his arm around her waist once more and lifted her up off the floor, spinning her in the air, before bringing her back down. She spun under his arms the minute her feet touched the floor and then he pulled her close. So close, he could've closed the gap between them with a millimetre movement. As if on cue to their dancing the instruments wrapped up the tune and they slipped out of each other's embrace.

Around them, claps and whistles erupted. Kai gave her a bow and she laughed, giving in with a small curtsy. He brushed a kiss on her hand as he came back up, before he gestured towards the side of the hall where her friends were watching on.  
Together they walked to the side of the hall, leaving others to take up the dancing.

'That. Was. Beautiful,' Iko, who'd come to join them when the ship with the cures came in the morning, squealed in her feminine mechanical voice.  
Cress nodded in enthusiasm, taking on the fangirling. 'I'm pretty sure there'll be lots of talk about you two!'  
Scarlet gave Cinder a quick hug and Thorne whistled, nudging her in the ribs.  
'You, my dear, are one hell of a cyborg queen!' he cooed.  
'I'm going to take a walk around with Kai,' she murmured in Scarlet's ear amidst their embrace.  
'Sure, just be careful. If you need guards or something comm one of us. We'll be right here,' Scarlet replied, pressing a small kiss on Cinder's cheek.

They walked beside the tables filled with food from the various provinces of the Commonwealth; samosas and spring rolls, seafood and rice and desserts and fruits from the best orchids and at the outskirts of New Beijing. The aromas from each plate, spicy and sweet, filled the air, tempting guests to try them. Cinder pointed at different things, asking about what they had in them and when he replied, her confused look would be replaced with excitement. As they neared the table with fruits, Cinder quickened her pace to a plate of apples placed in a way they made the shape of a tree.

'They look so sweet,' she murmured, eyeing them with a canny sense of enthusiasm. 'I've grown a liking to Lunar apples but how different could these ones be? I haven't had an earthen one in a long time.'  
Kai watched as she pushed a few strands of her out of her face, tapping her heels on the tiles as if trying hard to decide which one she wanted. Kai fished out a small one which caught the light on its surface. He examined it quickly to make sure it was perfect before handing it to her. She took it with a mumbled thank you and held it in her cupped hands before taking a small bite of it. He watched as her face went from serious as she let the taste sink in, to delight as the juices settled on her tongue.

She held it out to him like a peace offering. He accepted it, studying it in his hands; it had a glossy red surface like it had been polished to the best of ability and it was round enough to be able to roll around easily. He took a bite from the opposite side to where she had, though he probably would've gone to the same side if they weren't being publicly watched. The taste was almost instant.  
The juice settled on his tongue, sweet like honey, and the pieces were crunchy and smooth.  
'It's really nice isn't it? _Almost_ better than lunar ones,' Cinder murmured as she watched him, scrutinising his face to see any distaste for her beloved fruit.  
He nodded but stopped midway.

As he swallowed, he felt a new substance. Not smooth and crunchy like the pieces nor sweet and quenching like the juice. Rather it was syrupy and slimy, with parts of sourness and bitterness here and there.  
He frowned.  
That shouldn't have been there.  
No apple he'd ever eaten had syrup like that. He looked at the apple in his hands, and a sudden bout of nausea hit him. His face must have turned pale for he saw Cinder looking at him with a fearful concerned expression. Her image became blurry and he stumbled. He felt arms latch around him to steady him.

_Kai_. _Kai_. _Kai_.

His name, over and over again, but the voice seemed distant, like all the noises of the hall were being sucked into a black hole. He felt himself fall, felt his body hit the ground, felt the apple roll away from his grasp. His vision was getting worse, dots coming into view, overlapping one another. The noise was completely drowned out, only silence remained. The colour had drained too; he shut his eyes in a desperate attempt to orientate himself, with no luck.

He felt a sudden spike of heat and felt himself sweating, the sweat trickling down his face and arms. He felt a burst of pain. Forcing his eyes open, his sight caught onto one thing, amidst the blurry scene.

A sickening blue splotch.

His world turned over.

He'd seen that very splotch appear on far too many people; he'd seen it on his mother, he'd seen it on his father, he'd seen it on countless people. Countless citizens.

_Letumosis._

The word hung in the air like a bullet piercing the atmosphere.

The world spun. He felt himself drifting farther and farther away.

And he felt himself falling into an endless void of darkness.

* * *

**Thank you for reading and reviewing and thank you so much for being patient and bearing with my edits and proofreads. I'll make it up to you with, hopefully, another chapter by next week. **


	6. The Antidote

**If you didn't catch my previous note, I had edited all the chapters after chapter three to form the new chapter four and five-so you may need to skim through it again before reading on as I've changed a few thing around. Sorry for the inconvenience.**

* * *

She was aware that Wolf, Thorne and Jacin were pushing the panicking crowd backwards and ordering cameras to be switched off. She was aware of Cress and Winter rushing out to get the doctors and Torin. She was aware of Scarlet and Iko lingering behind her, calling her name.  
But she didn't care.  
Rather, her focus was pinned to the blue blemish that had appeared on Kai's wrist.

Letumosis.

Her hand automatically went to her neck, where she always kept a vial of the cure in case one of them got infected. But her hand only found cold skin and she remembered, with a sudden sickening twist of her stomach, that she'd left it in her room while getting ready for the party.  
'The cure, it's in my room!' She croaked, her voice hoarse and low.  
Behind her, Scarlet squeezed her shoulders. 'It's okay, Winter went to get the doctors. They'll have one.

Within moments of Scarlet speaking, a doctor and two lab assistants came rushing in with a few med-droids behind them. Cinder tilted Kai's head back on her lap as the doctor retrieved a vial from a med-droid and gave Kai the necessary amount.

They waited.

Kai groaned, his hands slipping to clutch his stomach. He tried to sit up but fell back down on Cinder's lap.  
'Please don't,' cinder murmured in his ear. A painful gasp escaped his lips. But it was lost in the horrified gasps that were let out by the doctor and spectators. Another splotch appeared on Kai's arm. And then another and another until both his arms were covered in blue spots.  
'What on Earth?!Why isn't the-' the doctor cried, before turning to the med-droids. 'Take him to the quarantine room on level 7 of the palace's research wing.'

The med-droids set to work, carrying Kai onto a stretcher and within minutes, he was being rolled out of the room.  
Cinder was about to follow when the doctor stopped her.  
'Your Majesty, would you mind going with the lab assistants so they can test you just to make sure and find out what exactly happened?'  
'Why didn't the cure work?' It was the only thing Cinder could think of.  
The doctor's face was grave when he answered. 'I don't know.'

To anyone who saw the Lunar queen sitting on the exam table, she was a picture of ethereal beauty, sitting calmly while she waited for the results to come in. But she was not sitting calmly. No. Rather she was clenching her fists, imagining wringing the neck of whoever had done this.

Because she knew someone had done this. She just didn't know who.

Scarlet paced the lab room; table to door, door to table; anxiously waiting for the lab assistants to return from their study of the tests they ran on Cinder. Scarlet was the only one with her; Winter and Cress were busy receiving comms from Luna, explaining what had happened. Jacin and Wolf were guarding the door outside, to stop any prying eyes from looking in. Thorne and Iko were helping authorities with their investigations, telling them what they'd seen and helping them talk to witnesses and distressed citizens.

The door opened and Li and Fateen walked in, deep in conversation.  
'Well?' Scarlet asked as they neared the exam table.  
Li, who was a little shorter than Fateen, spoke first. 'It appears, Your Majesty, that this is a rare case of Letumosis.'  
'A rare case of Letumosis? Isn't there only one case of Letumosis?' Scarlet asked once she realised Cinder wasn't going to be talking.

'You see, the pathogens look almost identical to the original and mutated strain that hit us years ago. However, when you look closely at their internal make-up, they do have some differences. It appears that this strain of Letumosis was designed to take a rapid start but a slower overall approach and a more painful one, which explains why His Majesty instantly fell ill,' Li explained.  
'So why didn't the cure work?' Cinder asked her voice low.

The question hung in the silence. _Why hadn't the cure worked?_

Fateen cleared her throat. 'Maybe the concentration wasn't enough or the dosage was too low? We can't be sure at this point but they'll be giving him a more enhanced version of the antidote. This new strain also affects everyone, even Lunars, just like the first mutation of Letumosis.'  
'So why didn't it affect Selene?' Scarlet asked, coming to sit beside Cinder on the exam table.

'Our only theory, for now, is that it didn't affect Her Majesty because she wasn't exposed to Letumosis like the other Lunars were as a means of getting the disease to Earth and the first case of Letumosis was recorded in 114 T.E, two years after Her Majesty was brought to Earth. Rather she naturally caught it and managed to fight it off several times and had also come in contact with this mutation and managed to fight it off. So for now, she's the only one who's immune,' Li explained.

'When I find out who did this, I'm going to feed them their own poison.'  
All eyes were on the Lunar queen, their faces mirroring each other's expressions of surprise. They clearly hadn't expected her first comment to be so vicious.  
'You can't jump to such large conclusions. Perhaps the Letumosis pathogens made their way into the apples while being delivered,' Scarlet said slowly.  
Cinder shook her head. 'Someone put it in those apples and someone was targeting me. It makes sense does it not?'

Scarlet put her hands on her hips and frowned, before turning to Li and Fateen. 'Well?'  
Fateen cleared her throat, pushing her black braided hair behind her back. 'I'm afraid Her Majesty is right. There is no way Letumosis could mutate into something like that without it being modified in a laboratory. Also, Letumosis doesn't live long without a human host, yet this managed to survive in apples for who knows how long. Someone did create it and with the intention to target someone, but at this point we can't say how they did it or who did it.'

Fateen's words,the harsh truth, hung in the air, settling slowly and painfully.  
Someone had deliberately put it in those apples. Someone had been targeting a specific person. And Cinder had no doubt it was her. There was no denying it. Cinder had walked into the trap, and Kai was paying for her foolishness.

Cinder and Scarlet entered the royal quarantine's visiting area. They would've been here earlier, but Scarlet had forced Cinder to change.  
'What if the pathogens are still there? Just to be sure,' Scarlet had said.  
Cinder had hastily changed into a black knee-length dress with long bell sleeves. Black socks covered the rest of her legs and ballet flats of equal colour covered her feet.

She made her way to the glass screen that separated Kai's quarantine room to the sitting room mindlessly. Torin, who'd been sitting in one of the chairs with his face in his hands, looked up startled. He stood to greet Scarlet. Cinder pressed her hands against the glass panel. Kai was asleep, his face serene and innocent. His arms were covered in blisters and Cinder knew it would only be a matter of time until everything else was covered too. A med-droid was wiping the sweat off his face before placing a hot damp towel over his forehead.

The quarantine room was similar to the way Kai's father had it; the many screens for the purpose of entertainment, the many picturesque flowers that decorated the tables, the small picture frame on the bedside with pictures of his father, his mother and he. The bed was dressed in the finest fabrics. It was a room comfortable enough for an emperor.  
A dying emperor in this case.

She felt the bioelectricity of Kai's royal advisor, Torin, and Scarlet on either side of her.  
'He's been asleep ever since they took the blood sample,' Torin's voice was low but comforting. He'd been through the empress and the emperor passing from Letumosis. He knew what it was like, he knew what would happen. Now he was going through Kai, and Cinder knew if anyone knew how she felt in the slightest it was he, who had been with Kai for so long; he'd watched him speak his first word, watched him grow and learn, watched him in the happy times and the sad.  
And now he was watching him dying.

Cinder nodded numbly. She felt a hand on her shoulder.  
'He'll be alright. Maybe they just need to re-concentrate the cure or get a larger dosage like Fateen said. It'll be fine.' Scarlet's voice filled her ears, soft reassurances that filled her with hope.  
Yes, that was it; they just needed a stronger dosage. Everything would be alright.

They sat in the room; Scarlet and Cinder; watching Kai as he slept, his chest slowly rising and falling. It had been an hour since Torin had left with the security chairman, Huy Dershal, to oversee the investigations at the orchids that supplied the apples and the kitchens, and still no one had come with new information. Her head was resting on Scarlet's shoulder and Scarlet was stroking her hair, murmuring small things that happened in the day; Luna's daily news, the ball events, how impressing her dancing with Kai was.

'Cinder...'  
Kai's low breathless voice interrupted the momentary silence. Cinder jumped up and raced to the glass screen. Kai was peering up at her from under the blankets, trying to make sense of his surroundings.  
'Do you want a moment?' Scarlet asked from behind her, watching as Cinder made her way to the door that linked the two rooms. 'Cinder, you shouldn't-'  
'I'm immune,' Cinder said sternly- no one was going to stop her from being with him when she could.

And Scarlet knew she couldn't argue; when Cinder's mind was determined to do something, no one could stand in her way. Scarlet watched her swipe her wrist, where a new ID chip had been put, against the scanner ID. The scanner flashed green and Cinder slipped through the door. She watched Scarlet disappear out of the room and close the door.

In moments, she was pressed against his chest, her emotions flowing out of her like a waterfall. Kai's hands were gripping her tightly; one lost in her hair, the other around her waist. Her hands cupped his face, her forehead pressed against his.  
'I'm so sorry. If I hadn't been so excited...I'm so sorry. You were...you were unconscious. Oh Kai, I was so scared-' but Cinder's rambling was cut off as he placed a trembling finger to her lips.  
'Shhh...Shhh,' he whispered. Then he seemed to realise that she was him. And he had Letumosis. He jerked away, panting at the sudden movement of his joints. 'Why...you shouldn't be here...what if you catch it...' He shooed her away with his hand.

She laughed lightly and, taking his hand in hers, guided them to their former place in her hair and on her waist.  
'Stars don't move so suddenly. I'm immune, so don't worry. I'll take care of you until then,' she smiled at him as he relaxed, closing his eyes to her touch.  
Cinder pressed her forehead to his and told him of what happened afterwards; how they took him away and the tests they ran on her; the apple and the new strain of Letumosis.

'But it'll be okay. They're working around the clock for more information and they're already investigating as to how the apples got infected. I promise you'll be okay. I prom-' but Cinder was interrupted as Kai closed the gap.  
His lips were hot but Cinder didn't care. She let him linger, let him pull away for a breath before lingering again. She let him draw small circles with his finger on her thigh. She held him in her arms until he fell asleep.

She watched him for a few moments as he slept; his small breaths coming in and out of his mouth and he looked almost like a small child sleeping in a mother's embrace. She lay him back down on the pillows and set his blankets properly, kissing his forehead before getting up to leave.

But just as she left, she saw his lips twitch into the faintest of smiles.

She slipped into the adjoined bathroom of the quarantine room's visiting room but not without calling a med-droid to take care of Kai. She took a quick shower knowing Scarlet would make her, and to make sure that no pathogens remained on her. Changing into a long navy dress she'd asked a random android to retrieve for her, she walked into the visiting room to be met with Scarlet, Torin and the head doctor who'd given Kai the antidote.

'There you are!' Scarlet cried bundling Cinder into a long hug. 'I was worried for a minute.' But even with the relief in Scarlet's voice, Cinder could sense a hint of worry. 'Dr. Daniel finished running a full analysis of the apple and the Letumosis pathogens that were inside,' Scarlet continued, moving to stand beside Cinder.  
'Well, doctor?' Torin asked, turning to the man. The doctor wasn't old, but the stress and worry of the past hour had formed bags under his eyes and the hunched way he carried himself suggested just how weary he was.

_How weary they all were._

'I can confirm what Li and Fateen have theorised as concrete information,' Daniel said giving Cinder a quick bow. 'This strain of Letumosis is slow and painful and it will be very difficult to overcome for His Majesty. It would appear that this strain was also designed to use the cure as a means of accelerating and worsening its pain and effect.'

So the antidote?' Her tone must've been too hopeful, for when Scarlet, Torin and the doctor turned to her, their faces were melded into sympathetic and grave looks. They looked at one another before the doctor took a tentative step toward her.

'There is none.'

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**

**I'd love to know your thoughts, so please review if you can~**

**Thank you,**

**Arya**


	7. True Colours

**I'm so sorry for the late update; I didn't get a chance to write much this week! **

**But here it is for you~**

* * *

Cinder and Scarlet slipped into their respective seats. All around them were The Eastern Commonwealth's cabinet members. Scarlet sought out her friend's faces; Wolf and Jacin were leaning against the wall near the door, surveying the room for any trouble. Wolf gave Scarlet a fleeting smile as her eyes passed over him. Thorne and Cress were seated opposite Scarlet and Winter, both looking weary from the long hours they spent negotiating and calming the Luna council and I Commonwealth cabinet members. Winter sat to Scarlet's left, twirling strands of hair in her fingers. Cinder claimed the seat to Scarlet's right, Torin seated beside her. The other Union leader's faces took up the screen's overhead.

'What a pleasure to have Her Majesty join us. I was beginning to think she wasn't coming. After all, she doesn't normally do,' Camilla's voice was bitter as she eyed the Lunar queen who was quietly adjusting her long red dress to cover her feet. Most of the Union leaders were ticked at the fact the Lunar queen almost never attended meetings unless she had to.  
'And she has good reason for that,' Ariel, Cinder's head thaumaturge said sternly. Scarlet's gaze flew to the Lunar screen, where Ariel sat straighter than any of the other Union Leaders giving Camilla a disapproving glare. Scarlet had always believed Ariel to be one of the most beautiful people she'd seen; she had wavy ash blonde hair she almost always let flow down one shoulder and striking blue eyes that always seemed to change shades like a kaleidoscope.  
'And what reason is that?' Williams asked.

'I promised my people I would do what was necessary to return Luna to its former glory and am always caught up with Luna matters meaning I rarely make it to meetings. In saying that, I have faith and trust in my officials and representatives to carry out my orders and update me on such meetings.' Cinder's voice was low but she emphasised each word in that way she had of making everyone else feel insignificant, all while staring down at her hands.  
Kamin grunted most unladylike.  
Torin cleared his throat. 'Well she is here now, so shall we begin?'

'Continue actually,' Bromstad corrected as everyone's eyes turned to him. 'We were just talking about the incident at the party that was two nights ago before the Commonwealth and Luna decided to join us.'  
'So what have you gathered?' Torin asked in a tone that suggested he really didn't want to know- the Union leaders' speculations were mostly pathetic in his eyes.  
'Well...,' Camilla spoke slowly, 'we were just agreeing that...' She stopped and looked at the other Union leaders as if asking permission to continue.  
Scarlet noticed that the Union leaders were casting glances at Cinder before quickly averting their gazes.

'Wouldn't you say that it is rather coincidental that the night this happens is the night that the Luna queen makes her appearance in years?' Camilla said each word carefully, knowing that she and the other Union leaders were taking a very dangerous path.  
'Just what exactly are you trying to imply?' Scarlet asked. She had a feeling she knew where this was going, but she didn't want to believe it. There was a moment silence.  
'Wasn't it Lunars who plagued us with Letumosis? Weren't they the ones who made the very disease?' Kamin answered.  
Scarlet's face paled.

There was an outburst of protests from the Lunar screen. Scarlet could see the fury in their eyes. She met Cress' eyes from across the table and was met with eyes of disbelief and horror.  
'Stop it!' Scarlet had to shout to be heard over the ruckus. The noise drowned out. For the first time since they're entered, Scarlet saw Cinder lift her head. Her gaze swept past each of the Union leaders but her face was neutral, unpredictable.  
'So,' Cress said slowly raising her chin, 'you are accusing Queen Selene of being the offender?'  
'That is our theory,' Vargas said when no one else volunteered to speak.

There was another moment of silence while everyone adjusted. Scarlet stole a glance at Cinder who still had the neutral look plastered on her face. Scarlet feared she was going to lose it.  
'How could you even think that?' Winter's voice was low, but even then Scarlet could sense the disapproval. 'We would never do such a thing!'  
'The Lunar race is known for such offences! It was Lunars who manufactured Letumosis and brought it to Earth! Lunars have long since been known for their evil ways,' Camilla spat back.  
'You Lunars have been threatening to start a war for ages; generation after generation, you've tried to deem ways of getting the Commonwealth in your hands,' Williams continued.  
'You are far too cowardly to physically fight us! That is why you turn to such unethical ways like biological warfare.' Kamin took over the rant.

The speakers were filled with venomous accusations towards Luna. Torin was listening quietly, but the disapproval in his eyes was intense. The Luna screen was quiet but the spiteful looks that were coming from them suggested they were getting ready to lash out. From the corner of her eye, Scarlet could see Cinder clenching her fists.  
'That is quite enough,' Cinder screamed, shooting to her feet. Her fists remained clenched. 'I will not stand by and watch you accuse my country like that.'  
Bromstad raised his voice to intercept hers. 'And we will not stand by and watch you do what you like to ours!'

Cinder's head snapped towards him, but even then her voice was directed to them all. Her eyes blazed with anger.  
'Have you forgotten what was done for you when Luna signed the treaty of Bremen? Have you forgotten the countless lives we saved by distributing our antidote? The war we stopped and the fate we prevented that was to come to you? Luna has done everything it can to maintain peace with the Union! We've ensured all Lunars that leave the country have a bioelectricity block fitted in them until they come back, we built a city for earthens who visit Luna to stay and that list goes on and on! So you are either too ignorant to accept that Luna is a peaceful ally or you are asking for me to take Luna out of the Union, which I won't hesitate to do. Cinder hissed, each word sinking in like a stab to the heart. The room remained silenced.

She turned on her heels and made her way to the door, her hair flowing behind her. But she stopped only long enough to hear Camilla's last comment.  
'You are just like Levana and Channary. It runs in your blood.'  
Cinder was shaking in rage. She looked about to say something, but then decided against it and stormed out.

When she was gone and the other Union leaders had cancelled their links, Cress turned towards the screen. 'We'll have a council meeting sometime tonight.'  
Ariel nodded and the screen went black.  
'You should go check on her,' Wolf whispered to Scarlet. 'That last comment was...'  
Scarlet didn't need him to continue. The last comment would surely have the most affect on Cinder.

Cinder didn't fear many things, but if there was one thing she feared the most, it was becoming like Levana.

Scarlet lay on the bed of Wolf and her guest room, turning her wedding ring in the palm of her hands. Wolf had a good taste in rings, or maybe he'd asked Cress for help; it was a beautiful silver ring with a heart-shaped ruby gem in the middle. The rest of the ring's surface was decorated with tiny engravings; a maglev train, a ship, a wolf, an opera house; all memories of their meeting and their journey together.

Wolf was pacing up and down the length of the room, his hands swaying in the way they did when he was ready to punch someone.  
'Who would've thought that the Union Leaders still had trust issues with Lunar,' he muttered as he came to lie down beside her. Scarlet traced the many scars on his arm and she heard him inhale sharply at the touch.  
'It wasn't the distrust that got everyone worked into a frenzied rage, rather it was the fact that they suggested Cinder herself had done it,' Wolf muttered, but she could see the displeasure he had of thinking about what had happened.  
Scarlet could still recall the rage in the Luna council's eyes and the anger in Cinder's when the Union leaders were accusing Luna.

Scarlet had gone straight from the meeting room to find Cinder. She searched Cinder's room, the gardens, Kai's quarantine room and Kai's office but there was no trace of her. Finally, after Torin's suggestion, she'd found her in Kai's bedroom on the sixteenth floor of the palaces private wing. Scarlet had no idea how she had ended up there; Scarlet herself needed Torin to open the door for her; but she was there nonetheless, cuddled in Kai's sheets with her face pressed in his pillow. Scarlet could still smell his perfume lingering in the room though it was faint. She had made her way to the bed and sat on the side. When Cinder didn't move, Scarlet sat cross-legged on the bed and peeled the quilts off Cinder slowly.

Then, finally, a slight whimper.

'Hey, talk to me. I'm here for you,' Scarlet had murmured, placing a hand on Cinder's arm.  
Cinder didn't move.  
'Don't want to talk?'  
A slight shake of the head.  
'Maybe later?'  
A nod.

So she had sat there for a few minutes, listening to the occasional soft sobs that escaped the girl lying beside her. Scarlet sighed and tried to make conversation again.  
'I thought you would've been at Kai's quarantine room.'  
A shake of the head again.  
'Didn't want him to see you like this?'  
A small nod.  
'Cress scheduled a meeting with the Luna council tonight. Is that alright with you? Are you coming?'  
Two nods.

Scarlet had then covered her with the blankets again and from the small noise that escaped Cinder's lips, Scarlet could tell she was grateful for it.  
'I'll be in my room if you need me.'  
Another nod.  
Scarlet had kissed the top of Cinder's hair, hoping she would appreciate the gesture even though she wasn't Kai. She had left the room, but not without looking back to make sure Cinder was alright.

So here she lay, hoping Cinder would come out of her little shell and knock at their door. She'd told Wolf what happened when she went to find Cinder. He wasn't surprised.  
'I've never seen her so devastated before but even so, it's expected,' he said, curling a strand of her hair around his.  
Scarlet sighed. 'I know but she shouldn't keep it so...locked up in her.'  
Wolf sat up and gave her a weary smile. 'Give her some time. She might be crying and helpless now, but when she's done, she'll pick herself up. There's no need to do it for her. I've seen her do it, it's amazing.'

There was a small knock at the door, barely audible and Scarlet rushed to open it, thinking it might be Cinder.  
But of course not. Her hopes withered, seeing Jacin standing in the hallway.  
'What, did you forget we had a meeting?' he asked. He looked bored, but behind his expression, Scarlet could see a little worry. Winter, no doubt, had been extremely upset by the Union leaders' ignorance.  
Wolf peered at his portscreen. 'Aces! It's nine already?!'  
Scarlet hadn't realised time had gone by so quickly. She took one last look outside, with the dark sky and the stars and Luna in all its splendour.

If Cinder was in a good mood, she would be watching the slow transition of the moon from one side to the other.  
But she wasn't.  
None of them were.

* * *

**Thank you for continuing to read my story.**

**please review if you can, I would like to know your opinions!**


	8. The Council Meeting

**I felt the need to continue in Scarlet's perspective…**

**Enjoy…**

* * *

Scarlet pulled her red hair into a tight ponytail as everyone else adjusted themselves.  
'We should have them face our judicial system and incarcerate them for a few years,' Jason, a young man with blonde hair and sea-green eyes muttered.  
'Isn't that a wonderful way to maintain peace,' Ariel replied sarcastically. 'That'll just get us more trouble.'

Cress twirled a few strands of hair around her fingers. 'It'll be hard to find an appropriate solution given that it's all of the Union leaders.'  
'At least we have the Eastern Commonwealth on our side!' Lily piped up. Scarlet rarely heard Lily during meetings; she mostly always hid behind her thick strands of pink hair, while her blue eyes watched everyone intently. It creeped Scarlet out sometimes.

Scarlet sighed heavily but she knew that even with one Union leader on their side, the others still had a very high chance of walking freely without any sort of punishment.  
'Doesn't the Treaty of Bremen state something about bullying other Union leaders and their country?' asked a bored voice. Scarlet sought out the face; Tobias- a boy with a mop of onyx hair and blue eyes.  
'Of course it does, but we just love wasting our time so we're trying to think of something ourselves,' Jacin dead-panned. 'Use some common sense.'

A wave of silence passed through and Scarlet knew they'd reached yet another dead-end; it had been an hour already and they hadn't gotten anywhere with what to do.  
'Well, since we aren't getting anywhere on this, why don't we get back to it later?' Yukito, another member with brown hair and cerulean eyes broke the silence.  
'And what else is there to discuss?' Wolf asked from his seat beside Scarlet.

Yukito and Ariel stole quick glances at each other and Cinder, who hadn't said a word, before looking back to the others. Scarlet was dreading what was about to come.  
'It appears,' Ariel began, 'that there has been a breach of Luna's trade system.'  
Thorne started at the word trade. His position as the travel and spaceships minister worked closely with Jason, who was in charge of trade. 'What do you mean breach?!'  
'Jason?' Winter asked, as everyone's eyes turned to him.

Jason straightened in his seat before addressing the others, though his gaze was primarily fixed on Cinder. 'My team and I were doing inspections of the food importations. They are originally from the United Kingdom but were transported to the Commonwealth so the Luna spaceship that was there could bring it to Luna to avoid any hassle. Outside the food looked normal but as they were passing through the scanners, there were these...particles inside. They were so small we would've missed it if one of my members hadn't pointed it out. The packages are currently in quarantine.'

She glanced at Cinder who had suddenly turned pale. The poor girl looked like she was going to faint, but her clenched fists in her lap said otherwise.  
'It's the Letumosis pathogens,' Scarlet said and Cinder's slight nod confirmed her suspicions.  
'You don't know that,' Wolf cut in.  
'What else could it be?' Cress asked.  
'Good thing your team picked it up or it could've proved fatal,' Winter murmured, but even then her voice carried a dreadful tone.

'But what does this person have to target at Luna?' Lily asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.  
'Perhaps they just want to spread panic throughout Luna,' Wolf suggested but from the look on his face, Scarlet knew he didn't believe it.  
There was an ulterior motive. _But what?_  
'To create distrust between the royals and their people,' Winter said.

Winter didn't need to delve into the details. To create distrust between the people and their leaders would mean chaos. And that chaos would mean problems for Luna, could even result in a war if it got serious enough.  
'First thing is first,' Scarlet said firmly, hoping that everyone's minds would turn to the events at hand and not be so worried. 'Your Majesty, what do we do about this?'

Cinder stood up and regarded each council member with an order for their team and speciality. She spoke sternly and fast, and no one dared to interrupt her.  
'Jason, I want those food packages sent straight to the research team and any other packages from the Commonwealth and the United Kingdom to be discarded. The team that came in contact with those packages need to be tested for Letumosis.'  
Jason nodded and left, his screen turning black.

'Yukito, I want our defence line around the docking areas to be tightened. No one gets in there or out without an authorised pass from me. I want the storage areas to have extra surveillance and guards too.'  
Yukito's screen morphed into black.

'Thorne, I want your team to step up their security at the docking stations. No ship gets in or out without an authorised pass and a thorough sweep of their contents. Cress, would you make sure that all surveillance and chips on Luna are in working order and maybe program one or two more chips for the extra surveillance?'  
Cress nodded and she and Thorne strode out of the room quickly.

'The rest of you please make sure that everything else runs well and the people are not harmed.'  
They all started to nod and the screens switched off progressively until only Ariel's one remained. The others had also filed out of the room.

'Is it too hopeful for Her Majesty to return to Luna anytime soon?' She asked in that patient voice Scarlet loved.  
Cinder sighed as she and Scarlet stood up and collected their portscreens.  
'I want to stay here until...' Cinder's voice broke and she looked down at her portscreen instead. But she didn't need to continue because they knew what would be next.  
Until Kai recovers.  
'Of course,' Ariel replied with an encouraging smile. 'As long as Her Majesty is alright.'  
'Thank you, Ariel. You truly are one of the most loyal people I know, 'Cinder said and gave her a fleeting smile before the screen went off and Scarlet and Cinder made their way out.

They walked through the hallways together, looking out of place amongst the many staff bustling about.  
'Thank you, Scarlet.'  
Scarlet turned to face Cinder who stopped beside a window looking out towards the sky. Luna was in the centre of vision, its glowing aura illuminating the night.  
'Thank you for always being there,' Cinder murmured and gave her an affectionate smile.  
'It's what friends are for isn't it?' She smiled as they both watched the twinkling stars.

Cinder found a sudden interest in the sleeves of her coat and picked at them, evidently embarrassed.  
'Actually...I've always thought of you as more of my mother,' she mumbled sheepishly. 'I mean a mother...like, you know not like Channary mother but like...' She added quickly, flustered.

Scarlet couldn't help but laugh. Cinder had never really had a mother, well one that loved her. And it warmed Scarlet's heart to know that Cinder thought of her as one, maybe even loved her as one. She slung an arm around Cinder, who shuffled a little closer.

'Well, between the two of us, we can be mother and daughter.'

* * *

**Thank you for continuing to read and review!**


	9. Bedtime Stories

**I'm so sorry for not updating for more than a week! I had a debating tournament so I had to write two speeches which took my weekend when I normally write. After that family gatherings and school came so I hardly had any time at all. I'm so sorry, but here it is now. . .**

**Enjoy it please, after a long long wait! I thought it would be nice to do one in Kai's point of view since I haven't done him in a while~ **

* * *

Kai let his eyelids slide shut, instead focusing on the petite figure beside him. He could feel the strands of hair splayed out over his chest and could hear the soft breaths that escaped her lips when she exhaled. With Cinder by his side, he felt like he was stronger than he ever could be. He felt like he was invincible. That he could fight anything.

Maybe even fight this Letumosis.

Kai could feel her squirming around in his grip, trying to get a comfortable position.  
'Am I hurting you?' Her innocent voice broke his moment of indulgence. Shaking his head he released her a bit while she adjusted herself next to him, before taking her hand and squeezing it.

Cinder's hand accidentally slipped onto a sickening splotch on his hand. He searched her expression fearfully for any disgust or sickness but all he found was curiosity.  
'I thought it would be squishy.' She sounded generally disappointed.  
'Looks like chicken pox right now huh?'  
'Blue chicken pox.'

A sudden outburst of pain made Kai cry out in pain. He groaned in agony, clutching his stomach as if he might throw up. Within moments of the noise escaping his lips, Cinder's warm brown eyes were staring into his, the worry evident even though her eyes were synthetic. Her hair framed her face and she placed her palms on his cheek, not caring whether the splotches felt icky or slimy.

'Where does it hurt?' Her voice was filled with concern and the usual caring tone she now spoke with to him. Wincing and shuddering he forced his eyes to remain open, before pointing a shaking finger at his shoulders which were now attached to blue spotted limbs. She brought out a salve from one of the drawers of the bedside table beside him and scooped a bit out with her fingers. Easing him onto his side so he was facing her, she rubbed the salve gently all the while not letting her gaze slip from his.

'I'm sorry.'  
She looked momentarily startled at his random apology. 'Whatever for?'  
'Making you worry and take care of me like this. You probably have so much more things to do.'  
She ruffled his hair, strands falling into his eyes. 'I would bargain the world if it meant that I could take care of you. You would do the same, I know you would,' she said and the smile playing on her lips warmed his heart like no other smile could.

Yes. He would.

Cinder had a whole country to run. And here she was, taking care of him and the Commonwealth with Torin.

And he knew that he would do the same. There was no denying it for either of them.

Cinder, who'd just laid back on his chest jolted upright at the intruder's knock. Winter was standing with one hand pressed against the glass panel as if to knock again. Torin and Jacin were lingering by the doorway making small talk.  
'Luna requests their queen to oversee a few matters,' she said, giving them a sheepish smile.  
Sighing, Cinder slid off the side of the bed, giving him a fleeting smile before making her way to the door.  
'I'll be a minute,' she told Winter before retrieving a bag of clothes she'd brought with her and disappearing into the bathroom.

When Winter, Cinder and Jacin had left, Torin made his way to the glass panels dragging a chair from one of the tables. He sat down but not before giving Kai a respected bow.  
'How do you feel?' he asked wearily.  
Kai thought for the best explanation to give his advisor. 'Say that you're about to fall to your death from the tip of a cliff and you're hanging at the tip just waiting until your grip slips.'  
Horror passed Torin's face until he realised Kai was just trying to provoke an expression.

'Med, get him some water,' Torin's voice broke the minute's silence.  
'So,' Kai paused to drink some water before continuing, 'What's been happening in the Union meetings lately?  
Torin bowed his head but it was too late; Kai had seen the disapproval and the fury settle in.  
'It seems that the Union leaders have decided to make up their own theories as to what happened at the party,' Torin muttered and Kai could hear the disgust in his voice.

Adjusting his position on the bed so he was lying down on his side facing Torin, Kai studied his advisor. 'What have they come up with?' he said, before taking on a tone he thought best resembled Camilla, 'It was the Lunars!'  
He'd expected Torin to give him one of his famous disapproving glares, but when Torin's eyes locked with his, there was no denial. Rather there was dread. Dread and fear.  
'Oh stars, please tell me that's not true!' Kai groaned, running a hand through his hair which felt odd with all the blisters on his palm.

'I thought Her Majesty would've told you. Then again it was quite intense so I don't think she wanted you to know.'  
'Let's just hope no one retaliates or it would prove serious.'  
Torin shuffled in his seat as if he was too restless to sit in one place. 'It was pretty heated. And to the extent with which the Union leaders went to I wouldn't be surprised if Luna does retaliate.'  
'Tell me what happened,' Kai said sternly.  
'You need to rest. I don't want this on your mind any more than it is now.'  
'Consider it a bedtime story.'  
Torin huffed in his seat. 'I shouldn't have told you,' he muttered.

And amidst the annoyance, Kai received Torin's famous glare. Kai found himself smiling. Though one might not think of it as the best achievement, Kai was proud that even though he was sick, he could still be his annoying self.

Torin's monotone voice was making Kai fall asleep rather than the actual events of the meeting. All Kai heard was mumble jumble about chaos and Cinder stalking out and flying accusations. He would have to ask Cinder about it later in hopes that she would be a little more enlightening. When Torin had finished, Kai gave him what he thought would be an understanding smile.  
'Luna is the most powerful ally of the Union. They better tread lightly if they want peace,' he muttered.

The dull long story had given Kai a headache too. He shut his eyes in hopes the pain would diminish.  
'You look tired,' Torin said standing up and pushing the chair back into its respective table. He gave Kai a low bow before mumbling something about checking on the investigation progress and giving him some rest before leaving Kai to be alone with the few med-droids stationed in the room should he need anything.

Shuffling into a comfortable sleeping position, Kai watched the photos in the digital frame; pictures of his mother, his father, of him. Of Cinder. Their smiles brought warmth where he was cold and their pictures made him feel like he had company. Like they were with him, maybe not in person but spirit.

And with those thoughts in mind, he closed his eye and felt himself fall into a sleep.

* * *

**I hope it was okay for a two-hour job and considering I hadn't updated for more than a week I hope it meets your standards.**

**Also, thank you **_**Wordmeister259 **_**for pointing out the fact that there were some grammar mistakes. The moment I get a chance to go over the chapters, I'll fix them up.  
For the rest, thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, follows and favourites. They do mean a lot to me!**

**Arya**


	10. A Spark Of Mischief

**Well, well, well… what do we have here? Chapter ten maybe. . .  
Enjoy!**

* * *

The research wing of the palace looked almost identical to the one Cinder had spent days visiting when she'd been taken in for the cyborg draft years ago. The only difference was probably most of the new faces smiling at her respectfully as she passed; an odd figure in the otherwise sea of white.

A flash of caramel hair caught her off guard and Cinder stumbled to a stop just in time before she could crash into the person before her.  
'Oh! Your Majesty!' a voice squeaked as the figure bent into a bow. Cinder eyed her as she straightened herself, the girl's emerald eyes meeting Cinder's brown ones.  
'It's you!' Cinder blurted out before she could stop herself.

Cinder remembered the night she and Kai had taken a walk in the gardens before taking the elevator to the guest wing. They'd had to share that elevator ride with a flustered girl who had come from the labs. The flustered girl who stood before her now.  
'We never got your name,' Cinder said, moving to the side of the hallway to let other people pass by.  
'Yuki. Yuki Karino,' the girl replied, swatting a few strands of caramel hair out of her face.

They walked a few steps in silence.  
'Is there anything particular you're here for?' Yuki asked lightly.  
Cinder remained silent for a while before nodding. 'I just wanted to see the progress on the research for the cure really.'  
Yuki nodded furiously. 'Of course, I'll take you to Fateen and Li!'

The Lab rooms always reminded Cinder of her nightmarish days as a cyborg draft "volunteer". Yuki made small talk with Cinder, only answering questions that Cinder asked. They neared a lab room and Yuki flashed her hand at the ID scanner and the door opened.  
'Here you go Your Majesty,' she said politely gesturing for Cinder to walk in.

The lab room was pristine white, with only an exam table, a netscreen and a med-droid on standby. Fateen and Li stood in front of the netscreen murmuring in hushed voices. The noises from the hallway faded as the door closed behind them. They spun around and quickly melted into bows as they saw who stood before them. Cinder waved them up.  
'I just wanted to check on how the research was going,' Cinder informed, making her way to stand beside Fateen.

Fateen's words felt like daggers piercing her heart; still no new information and still no leads.  
_What if there was no cure?  
_Cinder regretted the thought immediately. There was a cure. They would find it. She sighed and leaned against the examination table. Yuki was bent over a portscreen entering information Li was reading out to her. A pinging sound from Li's portscreen caught the four of them off guard. Taking a quick glance at it, he excused himself from Cinder's presence and he and Yuki rushed out.

'How is His Majesty?'  
Cinder turned back to Fateen who'd voiced the question with general concern. Cinder had to stare at the back wall to focus.  
'It's getting worse. He doesn't say it but you can see from the way he winces. It's hard for him I guess.'  
'It's hard for us all. Everyone here is working so hard.'

Cinder knew it was true. Kai had proven to be one of the most loved emperors the Eastern Commonwealth ever had. He'd stayed true to his promises to do whatever he could for them and his extremely good looks raised his status by a million more times. Cinder found herself smiling remembering the time he'd described the stampede that had happened at one of the peace balls years ago.

The door slid open again and Yuki shuffled in, her eyes wide.  
'Umm…Fateen…We need you…' she mumbled, twisting a few strands of hair around her finger.  
Fateen nodded and pushed herself off the table.  
'Excuse us, Your Majesty. I won't be long.' She bowed before following Yuki out of the door, her braid swishing.  
And Cinder was left alone in the lab room.

_Letumosis pathogens confirmed in apple.  
_Cinder skimmed through the information on the netscreen.  
_Patient: Emperor Kaito of the Eastern Commonwealth  
_His name made her heart leap. The picture beside it made her heart throb with pain and sorrow.  
_Letumosis pathogens confirmed in bloodstream.  
_She felt her fists clench.  
_No cure confirmed.  
_The dread settled in.

An ear piercing alarm blared into Cinder's ears, catching her off guard. She let out a shriek and clamped her hands over her mouth to stop herself from further shrieking.  
The evacuation alarm for the research wing kept ringing.  
'Screen off.'  
She quickly made her way to the door and flashed her wrist across the ID scanner where her own ID chip had been implanted once she'd become queen. The ID scanner flashed a haunting red back at her.

Cursing, she pounded on the door. She heard the mechanical whirring coming from a med-droid on the other side and heard the scanner beep in satisfaction. She took a step back from the door to allow the med-droid who'd come for her in. The fact that med-droids had entered the room didn't shock Cinder. Rather what shocked her was how many med-droids there were.

She watched in dismay as the door slid shut, only managing to catch a glimpse of empty hallways as the door locked in place. _  
Locked in place.  
_'Wha- What do you want!?' Cinder cried at the med-droids who'd filed in. None of them answered as they slowly came to stop around her until she was circled. She took a step back, colliding with one of them who pushed her back into the middle. She stumbled and nearly tripped over her dress material.

'Hey! Let me out!' she screamed, but her voice disintegrated in her throat as she saw what looked like tasers protruding out of their hands. Warnings flashed against her screen, but she couldn't take control of her ragged breathing and her quickening heartbeat. The med-droids inched closer and closer until the tasers were barely a millimetre before her.

In a moment of panic, Cinder kicked the first one she saw, sending it rolling back a few centimetres. There was only a small dent in its body where the heel of her shoe had come in contact with its body and it returned to its position in front of her quicker than it went.

And before she could take another breath, the arms of the all the med-droids shot out and she felt multiple surges of electricity travel through her body. She jolted and fell, her body hitting the tile floor with a loud thump, blacking her out for a moment. She screamed in pain as the pain came; shock after shock, invading her body. Her fingers twitched uncontrollably and her retina display was going haywire, warnings flashing wildly until it looked like a jumble of nonsensical words.

The sounds of crackling electricity filled her ears and the evacuation alarm was blaring in the background. All Cinder could feel was pain like she was being stabbed in every part of her body at once again and again. She felt herself being dragged towards the door by multiple droid hands and she still felt the stings of the few droids continuing to stab down on her with their devices.

But above all else, she could see the shadow of a figure towering over her.

* * *

**In regards to**_** Lorebeth**_**'s review, the way I perceived Cinder in this fan-fiction, it seemed fitting for Kai to call her Selene more than Cinder. Cinder regards her name, Selene, as a link to her past and a beginning to her future and the future of the whole Lunar Chronicles world. It's the same with Kai and why he uses Selene more than Cinder; it's a new beginning. Cinder, to him, I thought would be more of the lunar cyborg fugitive he knew pretty much nothing about. But calling her Selene would be like a fresh start to her new identity and to him it would be more of the gentle, innocent queen she turned into. And I just thought calling her Selene would be nice since that was her original name and what most people regard her by. But I suppose that's quite true so I'll add in a few Cinder's now and then ^^ Thank you (Sorry if that didn't make sense at all)**

**Anyhow, thank you for the continuing reviews, follows and favourites. I find it comforting to know that you're enjoying this.**

**Edit: I apologise for the extremely short notice and the ridiculous timing, but I'm afraid due to technical issues there won't be many updates for a while. I will try to type it up on another device (but most of the devices don't do single spacing and whatnot so it looks horrible) I'll try my best to get it done though.**

**thank you so much for being patient **


	11. The Missing Beauty

**Chapter eleven after a bit of a long wait. I do apologise for the wait but all will be explained in the author's note at the bottom of this chapter. I'll save you the pain of reading the notes first. **

* * *

It had taken Cress approximately ten seconds to register the words that had been thrown her way. She aimlessly walked around the hallways near the research labs as if by some miracle Cinder would just appear there right in front of her.  
Cress had been making her way down to the labs as the researchers had asked her for blood samples on their ongoing hunt for a cure when she'd bumped into Li, one of the researchers. It was he who had broken the news to her.

_Queen Selene is missing. _

Cress had to make him clarify his statement three times before she decided to accept it. Lunar queen and missing didn't really go well together and she knew that when Luna found out there would be rage. Scarlet had come a few minutes later with the rest of them, her eyes blazing with fury. Her bright red hair didn't help matters; said girl looked like she was going to set someone on fire. If that was Scarlet's reaction to the news, Cress really didn't want to see how Luna would react.

Scarlet immediately had everyone looking for Cinder; Thorne and Cress along with Yuki and Fateen would search the lab facilities; Wolf, Scarlet and Li would search the storage areas and the docking bays; Jacin and Winter were sent to the guest room quarters and Emperor Kai's quarantine room and countless Commonwealth soldiers and Luna guards were made to scour everywhere else.

Cress and the others with her had decided to split up their search area in hopes of finding Cinder, if she was here, as quick as possible. So here she was now, tiptoeing through the empty halls and peeping into rooms with the special ID she was given by Fateen. She paused as she rounded a corner before cursing and walking back where she came from. She'd gotten lost. Again.

The halls were all white and all the rooms were identical Cress had finally lost track of where she'd been and not. Maybe that was why the persecutor had chosen the lab facility to attack. For anyone unfamiliar, it would be easy to not remember where you were being taken; Cinder would have no idea where to go to find anyone. It would be just as hard to find her.  
'Smart,' Cress muttered under her breath.

Her portscreen dinged and she fished it out of her pocket, moving simultaneously to the side of the hallway.  
_Comm received from Carswell Thorne.  
_Cress' heart did a little skip at the name.  
_Found her yet?  
_Cress sighed as she tapped in a quick reply with the obvious answer; No. Returning to the device to her pocket, she turned around and continued walking the way she'd previously came in hopes of finding her way back to the starting place.

And that was when she heard it.

It was the sound of footsteps, running, and the sound of the heels of the shoes against the floor echoing. Quickening her pace, Cress found herself jogging down the hallway towards the noise. It grew louder and louder and Cress kept going faster and faster. Reaching the end of the end of the corridor, she swerved right.

Cress felt herself crash into a solid figure before tumbling backwards, her head hitting the floor with a loud thump. The other figure cried out in alarm as another thump entered Cress' ears. Desperately trying to push away the many strands of hair that had fallen over her face and eyes, she stared at the seated figure opposite to her.

Her heart fell.

'I'm sorry. I thought it might've been Her Majesty,' Cress mumbled, clearly disappointed as she helped Yuki up, one of the lab researchers who'd come with Fateen and Li. Yuki pressed a hand against the wall to orientate herself before blinking at Cress a few times.  
'It's okay. Scarlet found her though. Thorne sent me to come and get you,' Yuki said quickly as she took Cress' hand and ran back down the hallway, a stumbling Cress behind her.

They entered one of the small docks of the research wing before Yuki led her into one of the back rooms, which to Yuki's information were rarely used for anything these days. Opening the door enough for Cress and her to slip in, the two tiptoed inside to view what was before her. The room looked more like a prison cell, with a small window towards the top and metal walls. The floor, which should've been stainless silver, was speckled with red pools of blood. Cress' eyes followed the streams of red liquid to the group of people in front of her.

The scene before her was nothing that Cress would've imagined. Or maybe she just had bad imagination when it came to thinking up kidnapping scenes. Scarlet was bent over a figure whose dress was damp with blood. Wolf was nearby in his usual fighting stance should anyone come out to attack them. Winter was crouched on the other side of the figure and from the look on her face, Cress knew instantly that things were a lot worse than they looked.

'Jacin and Thorne went to get some meds and Iko and Li went to get the security team to start an investigation,' Fateen's worried voice whispered into Cress' ear. Nodding numbly, she moved towards Scarlet and peered over her shoulder.  
And there she lay.  
Her hair was a mess; strands sprawled around her while others stuck to her cheeks and forehead like glue. Bruises and cuts lined her arms, legs and face and little clumps of dried blood decorated everywhere else. Whoever had done this to her, had done it a long while ago. Cress felt sick to the stomach.

If Cinder hadn't been covered in bruises and blood and hadn't been missing for hours, Cress would've thought she was peacefully asleep, having one of her rare sweet dreams. Thorne and Jacin came in with a handful of doctors and a stretcher.  
'Don't lay a hand on her,' Scarlet hissed at two of the doctors who had reached out to put Cinder onto the stretcher. They instantly froze and hesitantly retracted their hands.  
'She needs to be taken to the infirmary as soon as possible,' Dr Daniel said, a hint of hesitation in his voice. No one wanted to anger Scarlet more than she already was.

Wolf slipped a hand on Scarlet's shoulder and squeezed it.  
'Scarlet...they need to take her before anything else happens,' he murmured in her ear. Coaxing her up, Wolf took Scarlet into his own arms and they watched as the doctors hoisted the Luna queen onto the stretcher and took her away.  
'She'll be fine. If Cinder trusts the doctors here, then we can too,' Winter murmured, her way of comforting everyone perhaps.

Cress tapped her fingers against her knees in a solemn tune, humming the few bars she knew. It had been an hour or two already since they'd seen Cinder and none of the doctors had come out. The investigation team didn't have any leads either. It was as though the perpetrator had just disappeared without any trace.

Yuki and Fateen were deep in conversation with Scarlet and Torin, no doubt saying what had happened before they'd left Cinder alone in the room and the events during the time that the evacuation bell went off. Cress had already heard all of this from Li, who'd walked with her to the infirmary's waiting room. Yuki had been with Li the whole time until he asked her to call Fateen. The three of them were in one of the lab rooms when the alarms had gone off. They were all evacuated outside when Yuki had piped up that Cinder was still inside. By the time they got to the lab room, however, Cinder was gone.

Without a trace. Without a sound. Without any sign of struggle.

'We found this close to the lab room Her Majesty was in.' Jacin's frustrated voice broke Cress' trail of thoughts. Standing up to join the others who had formed a circle around Thorne, Jacin and something in between them, Cress saw the looks of surprise cross numerous faces. In the middle of everyone stood a med-droid. It looked just like any other med-droid Cress' had seen at her time in the palace except for one thing.

It had a dent in its body.

'That dent was made by a high-heeled shoe,' Thorne said, sounding as though he were an expert in the shoe industry. 'And,' he continued as he revealed the shoe Cinder had been wearing and fit it into the dent, 'A perfect fit!'  
'It must've been reprogrammed,' Torin muttered, looking a lot more dishevelled than usual.

But there was still one question that Cress knew lingered in the air.

_Who had programmed the androids? Who was behind all of this? And why? _

Scarlet opened her mouth to say something when the infirmary doors opened and one of the assistants came rushing out, dishevelled but relieved. All heads whipped towards him as he paced towards them.  
'Well?' Cress demanded as his eyes shifted over each of them clearly uncomfortable with the amount of attention and the intensity of their stares. He cleared his throat before raising his head a little to project his voice to everyone.

'Queen Selene has awakened.'

* * *

****I managed to finish off chapter eleven, but in case the edit in the last author's note was not read, some technical difficulties have been thrown at me and so as a result this chapter and others to come will be more delayed than usual. ****

****I do apologise extremely for this but I will try my best to get the updates to you as fast as I possibly can given everything that has been happening. ****

****Thank you for the reads, reviews, favourites and follows~ Please keep them coming!****

****Edit 19/08/14 ~ I know it's been a long while since I've updated but I do have an assignment due tomorrow so I will try to update by the end of the week. Given that I have another assignment due next week and my technical issues have still not been solved, it will be a while for the next update too. I'm so sorry!****


	12. The Remedy Of Pain

**And the long awaited chapter arrives! Thank you for being patient and reading on~ **

* * *

It was as though she'd awoken for the first time in years. The white ceiling blinded Cinder's eyes the way sun did when looked at directly. With a moan, she forced her eyes open as a few faces looked down at her. All with worried yet relieved expressions they watched her as she opened and closed her mouth like a fish as no words came out.

'You. Are. Never. Going. Anywhere. Alone. Again. Do you understand me?!' Scarlet's voice shrieked out as arms draped over her in a hug. Cinder let her head lull to rest on the side of Scarlet's. Her body still ached and her mind was still rushing. Rushing with memories of the previous events.

But more so, rushing with fear and filled with horror.  
_How could it be possible? How could what she had seen been true?_

'So how does our cyborg queen feel?'' Thorne's voice interrupted her panicked mind as he peered down at her with a raised eyebrow. Using Scarlet as support Cinder sat up but instantly fell against the piled cushions behind her.

And at last, she saw herself. However, it wasn't what she saw that surprised her. Rather it was what she didn't see.  
'Last time I checked,' Wolf said following Cinder's eyes as she examined her arms, 'you were covered in scars and bleeding to your death.'  
'Miracle recoveries?' Cress suggested as she too noticed that Cinder's skin was pristine as that of a newborn's.

There was not a scratch or splotch of blood on her. Not any signs of a scuffle or kidnap. So just what had the doctors done to her?  
Scarlet made her way to the door and beckoned one of the staff nearby. Doctor Daniel shuffled inside a wide grin on his face. He neared the bed and bowed to her, taking off his hat in the process.  
'Your Majesty. It is really a pleasure to see you up and well.'  
'What did you do to me?' Cinder asked when her voice had resurfaced, careful not to slur her words.

Within minutes, the doctor had brought up a picture of Cinder's body before whatever they did to her on the screen in the room. Cinder immediately wished she'd never asked. She couldn't even recognise it was herself from all the damage there was to her body. Her hair was caked with dried blood as were her arms and the rest of her body. Scars and gashes decorated her skin, not missing a spot. At least, it wasn't as bad as her three-year-old self she thought as she cringed away from the image.

'So how did you get her from that,' Iko pointed at the screen,' to that,' she said pointing to Cinder who glared back at her with what little energy she could muster.  
'Skin grafting mostly,' the doctor said pointing to most of the areas where there were more bone and blood than flesh. 'We also had to repair a few of your cyborg parts. You'll need lots of rest but at the rate you're healing you could be up and about in a few days.'

When the doctor had gone and the others had disappeared off to check up on the investigations and Luna feeds, only Cress and she remained. Cress was fiddling with her hair, humming a soft tune that eased Cinder's pain. Cinder closed her eyes and listened for a few moments replaying small bits of information to herself to stabilise her mind.

_Linh Cinder; a cyborg mechanic from New Beijing. She's now Queen Selene, the once missing and rightful heir to Luna. She's in love with Emperor Kaito, the Emperor of the Eastern Commonwealth. She orchestrated the rebellion on Luna and took her place as queen from her aunty...Levana..._

The last word sent a chill down her spine. Memories of the former incident scribbled itself across her eyes. The whips coming down, the haughty laugh, the blazing eyes. The blood and bile mixing in her mouth. The silent screams that refused to leave her mouth. Then finally sinking into a pained sleep and waking up in a hospital bed. Her friends surrounding her and the doctor explaining her surgery. And now here with Cress, listening to the melodious voice shaking from what she'd experienced.

But most of all, what she'd seen. Or rather, who she'd seen.

The humming stopped and Cinder met Cress' worried eyes as the girl leaned over and placed a gentle hand over Cinder's.  
'Are you okay?'  
Cinder nodded. _Lie.  
_'Do you want me to get Scarlet?'  
Cinder shook her head. Cinder hesitated for a moment; it would be nice to have Scarlet here. After all, Scarlet had had her fair share of similar torture back when she was taken captive on Luna. Cinder decided against it- Scarlet was busy and Cinder was grateful she was taking care of all the questions from Luna that were clogging up her portscreen.

'Would you sing for me?'  
'Pardon?' Cress asked, surprised at Cinder's words. Cinder never really had asked Cress to sing for her; she didn't need to, Cress sang on her own.  
'Sing for me.'  
'Oh well, umm...okay...' Cress stuttered before clearing her throat.

Cinder didn't need to know the meaning of the French words she was singing to know that it was beautiful in every way. Cinder hummed a few bars that she recognised and soon both she and Cress were making their own little entertainment. She let Cress sing the last few high notes when her throat started to hurt and she had to drink a glass of water.

After a while of silence, Cress spoke up again playing with her hair.  
'So...umm...how are things with Kai?' she murmured, knowing she was hitting a sensitive topic.  
Cinder paused; she'd never talked to Cress about Kai after he'd fallen sick with Letumosis.  
'It's painful for him...and for...for... ' Cinder stopped and lowered her head, letting her hair cover her face. She couldn't, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't talk about him. It only brought back grief and pain.  
'For you?' Cress asked, scooting beside Cinder on the bed. Cinder nodded and let Cress take her hand.

They sat there in the silence for what seemed like ages before Cress spoke up again.  
'Sing.'  
'W-What?' Cinder choked out the words as though her airways had contracted dramatically.  
'Sing for him. It's painful because you can't do anything right? Well if you asked me to sing to soothe your nerves and pain he's bound to feel the same if you sing for him!' Cress exclaimed with an encouraging look on her face.

Cinder had never thought of it that way before. She'd never realised how singing had always relaxed her when times were hard and how they had an uncanny way of taking away her pain. She smiled; maybe, just maybe, she could help Kai in a way she'd never thought she could.  
Maybe Cress was right. Within moments, she was furiously praising Cress who'd gone back to being flustered.

'Are you two quite done?' A thick voice broke Cinder's thanking. She whipped her head to see Jacin leaning against the frame door and jumped. She'd never heard him coming; then again he did have a habit of turning up unnoticed.  
'Did you need me?' Cinder asked trying to return her features to placidity to match his.  
'Winter sent me,' he muttered, striding in as the door shut behind him.  
'Whatever for?' Cress said, slipping off the bed and returning to her chair.

By the time Jacin had finished explaining the Luna council's talk and what they wanted Cinder's placid features had turned upside down. Hands on hips she stared at Jacin as if she were going to kill someone.  
'I told you. I'm not going back until he's well,' she said sternly, placing a mouthful of anger into each word.

Jacin held up his hands in surrender.  
'Tell that to Luna. They want you back immediately. The last thing they want is you getting hurt.'  
'I don't care. I'm not leaving until there is a cure and Kai gets better,' Cinder huffed, falling back into the cushions, exhausted.  
'And when do you think that will be?' Jacin shot back, knowing he'd be in trouble if Cinder continued being stubborn.  
'Why don't you think it will be soon?!' Cinder cried out, before letting out an exasperated sigh before yawning a little.

She'd never realised just how tired she was until all her anger had released. She groaned and slid under the sheets of her bed.  
'I'm tired, let me be. I'll talk to them later if they really want,' she murmured as she closed her eyes, draining out all the noise as Jacin walked back towards the door with Cress. But there was only one thing that caught her attention as the door separated her from them.

'Because there is no hope.'

* * *

**Ahhh, the end of a long awaited chapter at last. I apologise that it is so late. Once again, school will pull my writing time away as I have a couple more assignments to complete. Along with that, my technical issues still haven't died down either so thank you so much for being patient while you waited for this update.**

**_Anonymous:_ Well, at the very beginning before I even started writing the chapters I did write down my original plot. After that, as I write my chapters, I add in finer details to the plot and other ideas I get as I write. Before I write each chapter I do dot point exactly what is going to happen in each chapter and the start of the next chapter so I know exactly what to write and how to end the chapter.  
**

**Arya **


	13. A Painful Love

**Thought it would be nice to end Winter (and Summer for the Northern Hemisphere?) with an update~**

* * *

Every muscle ached. Every bone felt stiff. Every part of him felt useless. His body felt feverish and hot and his eyes could barely stay open. It was as though everything was slowly being sapped away from him and all the energy was draining away.

It was as though life itself was slowly slipping from his grasp.

Kai felt as though he was being strangled as his airways momentarily blocked. His body jerked upward as he coughed into the cloth the med-droid was holding to his mouth. A wave of sparking pain jolted through his body and he cried out in pain. As the med-droid took the cloth away from his mouth, Kai could've sworn he saw blood staining it. The med-droid fed him water but even swallowing was too painful. Everything was too painful.

His head lulled to the side and his eyes settled on the visitor's room. No one. Of course, there was no one. The only people who were allowed to see him in such a dreadful state were Cinder and Torin. And neither of them had shown up the last two days. He knew they had things on their mind; Torin had the Eastern Commonwealth to deal until Kai recovered. Until he recovered. It felt more like false hope to him than truth. And Cinder. Cinder had Luna to take care of and she had all the accusations towards her to deal with.

It hurt him to even think, but lying here alone, it was impossible not to. And out of all things that could possibly be on his mind, there was only ever one thing that stood above all others. Cinder. Closing his eyes, he thought back to their first meeting. One of the palace mechanics had suggested he bring malfunctioned Nainsi to her. _Linh Cinder's New Beijing's most renowned mechanic! If anyone, Linh Cinder should be able to fix it. _That's what Kai was told.

He remembered entering the booth to find it empty; not a breath to be heard but his own. He remembered shoving Nainsi onto the bench before hearing a _thump _and being met with hard, pissed off looking eyes that soon melted into surprise and apology. Kai had been just as surprised to find out there was actually someone there. He smiled momentarily at the thought at the image of her at their first meeting. Cinder had been a mess; her brown hair tied into the messiest of ponytails he'd ever seen, her work gloves, stained and old, and her face decorated with a grease stain on her forehead.

And then came the memory of her at the top of the stairs on the night of the 126th Peace Ball. Drenched from head to toe in a silver ball gown and boots that were probably the first she could find. And she'd been wearing the gloves he'd given her with a stain on either glove. A mechanic's mark. That night, Kai knew that everyone around him was looking at her with disgust and they were laughing at her. But Kai had found himself smiling; she had come. It didn't matter what she looked like. All that mattered was that she'd come.

Then it was the memory of dancing. As he led her across the floor with precise movements contrasting to her clumsy ones, they' talked. The touch of her hand against his neck when they'd danced without much gap between them. Their hushed voices, her honest gaze, his regretful tone. He knew that all around them people were shooting Cinder looks of jealousy, but he didn't care.

Kai's mind raced to the next events; Torin telling him it was time to tell of his intent to marry Levana, Cinder telling him not to. Pleading him not to. Kai could still remember the panic in her eyes as he walked away from Torin and Cinder. And then he'd heard the small taps of the heels of her boots racing after him and he'd felt the strong tug as she spun him around. And then her arms wrapping around his neck and her lips pressing onto his.

Everyone had turned silent in that moment. Kai had been so caught off guard he hadn't known what to do, so he just let her. He let her linger while he remained in shock and confusion. But maybe, maybe if he had been anticipating the kiss, maybe if he'd been aware of what she was going to do, he would've slipped his arms around her waist. And he would've kissed her back. And he regretted not doing so.

Everything that had happened afterwards was a blur. Levana making her appearance and trying to kill Cinder. Kai finding out what Cinder really was; Lunar. Cinder rushing down the steps to the garden, falling, losing her foot. Losing her foot, another revelation; cyborg. Kai creeping down and picking it up, trying to make sense of her glamouring, wavering in and out.

And she was painful to look at. Painfully beautiful, even more than Levana.

The sound of the visitor's door opening cut through Kai's thoughts and brought him back to reality. He forced his eyes open as much as they could and squinted as the figure took slow steps towards the door that separated his quarantine room to the visitor's room. Only one person would make for that door.  
'Cinder?' he asked, his voice hoarse and full of pain.

The figure kept moving silently and made its way through the door and towards him. The figure had long hair that came down in perfected ringlets. A mask covered all of her face except her eyes, which were dark and empty of emotion. Her hands were covered in gloves and she wore a thick dress mostly covered by a cloak of sorts.

'Cinder…' Kai whispered as the figure drew closer. Her touch felt familiar, soft yet cold.  
'I am not your Cinder.' The voice seemed achingly memorable, but he knew in an instant that however beautiful it sounded, it was not Cinder's.  
'Then…who?' Kai felt a prick against his arm and looked to see her drawing blood from him. He winced in pain, but her grip on his arm was strong and chilling.

She put the needle and the blood sample back in the bag she was holding and drew out a portscreen. Tapping a few instructions, she disregarded Kai's groans and hisses of pain.  
'Med-droid…' he whispered. Even talking was too painful.  
'It is not here. Don't bother young Emperor,' the woman voice took an impatient tone.

She looked down at Kai with her dark eyes, and it felt like she was piercing his soul.  
'You want to see your beloved Cinder?' she asked, spitting out the name like it was dirt and ash.  
She flipped the portscreen to face Kai and watched as Kai's face turned into one of anguish and horror.  
'Play. Volume up,' she demanded.

Kai couldn't comprehend where in the palace this room was. It was bare, made of steel walls and a steel floor. At the top was a small window with bars in front. And lying on the floor in a heap was Cinder. Her hair was sprawled in all directions and her dress was stained red. He could hear the soft whimpering that escaped her lips and the strained pleas to stop.

From the corner of the screen came a whip, thin but sharp and it hailed down on her several times. She shrieked as her body jolted each time the whip made contact. Blood started seeping from Cinder and trickled its way across the floor. Cinder flipped over so she was staring up at the ceiling, and again screamed and screamed. Her hands were clenched into fists and her body shook violently.

And then everything became silent. Cinder stopped moving instead laying lifeless on the floor. More blood seeped from her and her chest stopped rising and falling to her breathing. She looked as though she was dead. Gone.

The portscreen switched off and the woman placed it in her bag before making her way to the door as though nothing had happened. Kai's fists were clenched, his teeth were gritted to stop himself from screaming. His heart and mind were racing, praying that it was not true. That what she'd shown him was fake. That Cinder was alive and well and she was just sleeping in her room.

But every part of him knew it was true. The woman turned back just before exiting the visitor's room.  
'She's dead. And you'll be joining her soon.'  
And with that, she disappeared down the hallway.

The video was still fresh in Kai's mind. His heart was aching, not from the pain of Letumosis, but from the pain of what he'd seen. From the pain of Cinder hopeless, lifeless. Dead.

He let his emotions run through, however painful it was. He screamed and screamed and screamed. He desperately tried to get up, jerking himself forward not caring whether he hurt himself. He had to get to her. He fell back onto the bed, unable to try to get up again. He choked back on his tears as he screamed again and dug his nails into his hair.

He shouted out her name over and over again. _Cinder. Cinder. Cinder. Cinder. _And he could feel the burning tears running down his cheeks in an endless stream of anguish and pain.

* * *

**I was conflicted with whether I should do this chapter as the chapter twelve or the chapter thirteen and finally settled on chapter thirteen for some reason...**

**Sorry for making you wait so long (I know I say this every time, but I don't think it's enough) Hopefully, after the next few weeks I'll be done with assignments and exams and can write a little more than I do know and that means faster updates!**

**Thank you for reading and your reviews would be loved! **

**Arya**


	14. Sweet Melodies

**I apologise for the delay but I have an assignment due in two/three days so I've been spending most of my time on that.**

* * *

Still no leads. It was three weeks since Kai had fallen ill and there were still no leads. As Cinder stepped off the podium of the press conference room she heard murmurs that rippled through the crowd of journalists. She was tempted to turn down her audio interface but something caught her attention.  
'No leads, huh. Seems like everything is going the Queen's way.'

Cinder stopped in her tracks, one step away from the door to the hallway.  
'Just like Channary. Maybe even worse than Levana; at least she made it clear she wanted to rule.'  
She stormed out before she could hear another word. Torin was waiting for her inside and he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as she came to stand in front of him.  
'Don't listen,' he said in that fatherly tone of his.

Torin opened his mouth to say something else but just as he took in a breath to start a guard came rushing in.  
'Your Majesty! Advisor Torin!' he panted, his face red and beaded with sweat.  
'What?!' Torin asked, his face immediately morphing into one of alarm.  
'Hurry. It's Emperor Kaito.'

She sat by his side on the bed stroking his hair, murmuring words of reassurance. The tears still rolled down his cheeks, however, and his voice still repeated her name over and over again. _Cinder. Cinder. Cinder. _Torin stood watching from the visitors' room, his head bowed to cover his features; it was too painful for him to watch. Too painful for either of them.

'Med bring him water,' Torin ordered before turning to Cinder. 'I'll go talk to the guards that found him like this, see if they know anything.'  
Cinder nodded and he made his way out the door but even though he'd said such an excuse Cinder knew it was just too much for him to bear to watch the young boy he'd raised all his life like this. And Torin knew that the only thing that would soothe Kai was Cinder's presence and Cinder's presence alone.

The med-droid put the glass to Kai's lips but within an instant of feeling it, he jerked away, batting at it with what little strength he could muster. The med coaxed the cup to his lips once again only for Kai to let out a pained sob and jerk away again.  
'Go away!' Cinder said exasperated as she grabbed the cup off the droid.  
The med-droid retreated back to its normal position and Cinder fed Kai the water in small sips.

Cinder watched Kai murmur nonsensical words to himself as she lay beside him, stroking his hair. Blue blood-filled spots covered him everywhere and his body felt like he was an oven heating up, so much so she had to wrap him in a blanket before touching him so she wouldn't feel the burning sensation of touching him. His tousled bangs stuck to his face like glue and his forehead was beaded with sweat.

'It's too hot,' he murmured, trying to push the sheets away but Cinder quickly covered him again.  
'I know…I know.' It was all she could say, however weightless and meaningless the words felt. She watched him wince in pain as he furiously scratched at the splotch on his arm to which Cinder shooed his hands away.  
'Don't do that. You'll make it worse.' She whispered, taking to holding his hand.  
'But it hurts…'  
'I know…I know…'

Cinder closed her eyes. She couldn't bear to see him like this, couldn't bear to not be able to say anything. She knew it hurt. She knew he was dying.

She knew, she knew, she knew. But what could she do?

It was killing her to sit and do nothing, only able to ask constantly for any new progress. But what could she do?

At the back of her mind, Cress light voice filled her thoughts.

_Sing for him. It's painful because you can't do anything right? Well if you asked me to sing to soothe your nerves and pain he's bound to feel the same if you sing for him._

Wasn't that what Cress had said? If Cinder had felt ease with Cress' singing, would Cinder's singing really help Kai? She opened her eyes and looked at his face, twisted in agony and unease and in that moment, Cinder though that anything was worth a try.

Her voice was soft and quiet, but enough for only Kai and her to hear. He looked momentarily startled by her abrupt singing but soon he relaxed and closed his eyes listening intently. And the more Cinder sang, the more she saw him relax and the more the strained expression left. She smiled to herself; maybe Cress was right. Maybe there was a cure in the smallest of things.

Maybe there was hope, even if it was just a spark.

She whispered the last few notes and pressed a kiss to his hair. Kai opened his eyes, his eyes pleading.  
'Won't you sing something else?'  
'Like what?'  
'How about a Luna song? Until I fall asleep, please?' he asked.

Cinder sighed as she watched his pleading eyes and the soft tugging of her sleeve as he nagged her.  
'I'm surprised you have the energy to annoy me,' she teased, pushing a strand of his hair behind his ears, only for it to fall back.  
He gave her a small smile before poking his tongue out at her.  
'It's a special ability of mine.'  
'Clearly.'

But Cinder was glad whether it was a special ability or not. She was glad to know that there was still the same old him somewhere in there. Under all those splotches and pain, her Kai was still there; her annoying but lovingly cute Kai was still there.

She caught him looking at her with a teasing look. She frowned at him.  
'What?' she asked.  
His teasing look didn't disappear. 'You never gave me a birthday gift.'  
She rolled her eyes but her lips curved upwards into a smile.

Here he was sick and half asleep and all he was thinking about was birthday gifts?  
'Well between you getting sick and Luna to run and the Eastern Commonwealth to please I haven't really had the time to run down to the gift shop. Unless you want me to now,' she smiled, attempting to slip off the bed and leave as if to prove her point.

He grabbed her hand and tugged her back until she was in her previous sitting position.  
'No, don't go!' he whined.  
She laughed and pressed a kiss on his cheek. 'Well, what do you want? Need time to decide?'  
'I've already decided…' he murmured cupping her face with his hands, the palms of them probably the only part not covered in blue blemishes.  
'What is it?'  
'You.'

Cinder slipped her hands into his tousled hair and watched as his eyes dropped to her lips.  
'You already have me,' she whispered.  
'You and a kiss then.'  
Cinder stroked back the hair that had fallen over his eyes and closed what little gap there was. Kai didn't seem to have the idea of letting her go; his hands held her tight as though she might fade away any moment.

When he finally let go, his eyes were still closed and his hands too weak to hold on. Cinder stayed with him until she was sure he fell asleep, before slipping into the joined bathroom. As she reached the door of the visitor room to exit, she turned back one last time to make sure Kai was still there, before blowing him a goodnight kiss.

_Sweet dreams…I promise we'll find a cure. I promise…._

* * *

**Sorry if the chapter dragged a bit… Hopefully, I can make it up to you with the next chapter which might be late again as I have exams next week. But I have holidays after exam week so I'll be able to write more! **

**Thank you so much for reading and please review if you can!**


	15. A Forgotten Past

**Surprise! **

**I thought I'd update just before my term exams start so the wait until the next update wouldn't feel as long.**

* * *

The nightmares came in episodes, each one linking to its former and latter. There was always that one person that appeared, taunting, teasing. There was always the same fear that ignited within and there was always the same panic afterwards. And then there was the agonising question that haunted beyond comprehension, threatening the sanity of the mind, the soul.

_Was it all a vision? Had it all been a trick? _

First, she was in a dark place, an endless void with no walls or floor or ceiling. There was no soul to be seen, no light but the radiance of a snow-white butterfly fluttering in proximity. It fluttered a few metres before coming back as if it wanted to be followed. It was as though the butterfly was compelling her to follow it. It moved forward and she was dragged along with it, toward something else radiating the same light that appeared in the distance, a silhouette cutting through the light. They butterfly drew closer until it stopped and hovered over the figure's head. She stopped in front of it.

The figure was a woman in a blood-red dress, the end splayed around her like a pool of blood. She was hunched over and her head was bent, the long strands of hair covering her features. Cuffs bound either hand separately and chains extended outward from them, disappearing into the ground. The figure's head moved upwards, arching to face her but before she could see the woman's features, the void came crashing around her and she felt herself being crushed.

Then came the next part; the gardens in the Luna palace. It was a pathway of cobblestone lined with trees and roses. A wooden bench with elaborate swirls for its backrest stood a few metres away. The tapping of heels against the cobblestone pathway caught her attention. A woman in a draping white dress with a golden belt at the waist and long white bell sleeves that ended in gold lining emerged from the side of one of the trees. The woman had flawless tan skin and dark brown hair neatly styled. The woman turned to face her with a warm smile.

'Selene…'  
The woman's voice was soft and melodious and her rich red lips barely parted.  
'Selene…' she called again, softly and more tempting.  
_Mother. _The voice sounded distant, but she knew it was her own. Or rather it was her thoughts. Without a second thought, her body began to move and she found herself walking, no running, towards Channary.  
_Mother. _

She reached Channary and fell into her arms as her mother pressed a kiss against her hair.  
'Mmmm….Selene…' she said pulling away from the embrace and tilting her head downwards to look at her daughter.  
'I told you to be careful didn't I? I warned you.' Channary's voice took a tone of authority. 'You never know what may be the truth and what may be a vision.'  
Channary ran a finger down her cheek and to her chin before inclining her daughter's head to look her in the eye before continuing.  
'I told you...playing with her is like playing with fire...'  
But before she could answer, she felt herself slip from Channary's embrace and fall endlessly.

She was back in the dark void again, facing the blackness ahead of her. She was aware of a light behind her, coaxing her to turn around. Slowly, carefully she spun around with her eyes shut tightly. The light became a little dimmer and when she opened them she saw the snow-white butterfly fluttering over the place she had last been. It hovered over the chains and cuffs bounding the woman in the blood-red dress.  
But the woman…the woman was…

Gone.

_Had it all been an illusion? Had she survived? Was she still alive, hiding, waiting?_

Cinder woke with a start, her heart pounding uncontrollably and her breaths coming in short gasps as if her airways had constricted. Every night she woke up with the same rush. Every night she woke with the same fear in her heart and the same questions in her mind. Every night she woke up from the same nightmare.

Hugging her knees, she buried her face in the space between her knees and chest. She gasped for air, squeezing herself into a smaller form. This time, there was no Kai to hug her and lead her to a walk in the gardens. This time, she was on her own. Like all other nights on Luna. When she finally regained control of herself she lay back down, pulling the quilts over her as if to protect herself from the horrors of another nightmare. Beside her, on the bedside table, her portscreen pinged.

Groaning, she reached out for it.  
'Accept comm.'  
The screen was black for a moment apart from the Luna symbol rotating at the bottom and then it changed. The room on the screen was…Kai's quarantine room. Cinder jolted upright, a look of horror and alarm mixing together.  
'Hello?!' she called into the screen tilting it to try and get a better view.

A woman appeared at the corner of the screen. She was in a dark cloak that concealed most of her body and face but Cinder could make out the rich red lips and the hair that came down in ringlets. Cinder barely stopped herself from screaming. The woman was…  
'Ahhhh, Selene...what a pleasure,' the woman said, her voice sweet and calm. Behind her Cinder could make out Kai's body, limp but the slow rising and falling of his chest told her he was asleep.

'What do you want?' Cinder asked, her voice still weak from the nightmare. The woman just smiled lightly before turning to face Kai.  
'Hmmm…first Emperor Rikan and his empress and now you,' the voice continued, disregarding Cinder's question. The woman caressed Kai's cheek with one pointed nail. She clucked her tongue disappointedly. 'How disappointing of you, failing your people just like your parents.'

'Leave him alone!' Cinder shrieked into the screen, feeling helpless as she balled the ends of her quilts into her fists.  
The woman sat by his bedside. 'Look at all the trouble you've gotten him into,' she said regarding Cinder through the screen. 'This is all your fault after all, is it not?'  
Cinder gulped; the only thing she could do to stop herself from screaming or tearing out her hair.

_It was her fault wasn't it? If she'd never come to Earth, nothing would've happened. If she hadn't gone to the apples, none of this would've happened. If she hadn't been queen none of this would've happened.  
Maybe if she hadn't existed, none of this would have happened either._

The woman's nails dug into Kai's cheek. He let out a moan but he was too weak to do anything else. Blue blood-filled splotches covered his body like cream on a cake.  
She continued in the same calm voice she'd begun with. 'For a girl as smart as you are, I would've thought you would've realised by now. You're the reason he's dying. You're the reason he's like this. It's your fault and you can't deny it. You know it is the truth.'

Cinder buried herself under the quilts away from the portscreen. She wanted to scream at it to switch off, to end the comm, but she couldn't bring herself to do it; she was too frightened, too filled with guilt and too filled with worry for Kai. So she left it on and let the woman continue.  
'You think you're helping him by being at his side? You're wrong. You're killing him. Each day you stay by his side, each moment you touch him, you bring him closer to his death. You make it all the more painful for him.'

Cinder dared to peek at the screen. The woman was now staring intently at Cinder, her onyx eyes boring into her soul even though they were floors apart. It was as though she was making Cinder paralysed that she couldn't move or look away. Cinder couldn't comprehend what she was seeing. The woman was…

'You are killing him,' the woman said, in a harder tone. 'Him and everyone else around you.'

The screen turned black leaving Cinder to lay on the bed, paralysed with fear, her fingers twitching as she registered the words. The portscreen slipped off the bed and fell to the floor. Cinder was too paralysed with fear to do anything. She shut her eyes tightly as a throbbing headache formed; a reminder she would be crying now. Her nightmare came rushing to her mind.

The snow-white butterfly, the woman in the blood-red dress, her mother warning her and the void again with the butterfly and the chains…

And the woman…the woman…

Gone.

_Had it all been an illusion? Had she survived?_

Was the ghost of her past really a ghost anymore?

* * *

**If you were wondering where I got Channary's details from, I saw it around Tumblr (thank you to BananaKisses for asking Marissa Meyer the question or I never would've known myself). **

**I'd love to know your thoughts and thank you so much for faithfully reading and waiting for every update! It really means a lot! **

**Arya**


	16. A Long Awaited Revenge

**I apologise (again) for the long wait but it's been a really busy week. Hopefully, I can get more updated and quicker ones at that done in these two weeks. Thank you so much for your patience.**

* * *

The streets of New Beijing were bustling with activity; people hurried into booths, their bags swinging about. Children played around the pathways, laughing and giggling as they chased each other and sang. The beep of ID chips exchanging money and the constant drone of android voices filled the marketplace. Cinder drowned it all out. She'd decided to ease her nerves of last night with a quiet walk through New Beijing visiting the old places she knew. Really, she had no idea where she was going.

She had promised Scarlet to be back by the afternoon when a meeting with Luna's head doctor, Dr Jayden, who had said he'd found something in his research about Kai's Letumosis. Cinder had pleaded with him to say it over a comm but he'd refused, saying the information was too valuable and it could be hacked through the net. So she'd told him to come to the New Beijing palace in the afternoon. He would be there soon, but Scarlet had told her to give him time to recover from the long trip from Luna.

She folded her arms over her chest and kept her head down as though she could vanish into thin air if she squeezed herself hard enough. Her glamour stopped any eyes from recognising her but even so she could feel their gazes lingering on her, hard and confused, as though they could see right through it. Shivering, she pulled the hood of her jacket to conceal her face more where the strands of her hair would not.

The smell of honey buns filled the atmosphere as she turned the corner. She looked up to see a flock of people outside a bakery store nearby. She made her way towards it and peered in.  
'Thank you! Come again!' a young boy called out as he waved to the customer he'd just served. Looking at the boy, she recognised him instantly; the miracle child of Letumosis.

Chang Sunto.

A man appeared from the back of the store with freshly baked buns.  
'Thank you, uncle!' Sunto cried happily as he filled the almost empty display panel. So Sunto and his uncle had rebuilt the bakery that had been burned years ago in honour of his mother. She smiled; Chang Sacha would be proud. She watched him a little while longer before she turned to leave.

Almost instantly, another booth caught her eye. It stood on the opposite side with no sign to display its trade. The shelves were packed with spare parts for androids, cyborgs, portscreens and hovers. She made her way to the door and pulled, but it was locked. She frowned.  
_Was the booth still untouched four years on?  
_Her eyes swept over the stained tablecloth and the many screws that were scattered around the workbench. Her heart ached as she stood looking into the mechanic booth that was once her pride and joy.

'It's closed.'  
Cinder spun around, startled at the intruding voice, pulling her hood closer to conceal her face.  
'I know…I just thought it was a new mechanics shop,' she muttered not daring to look at the girl's face. Cinder noted the chestnut curls that were draped down the girl's back, visible in Cinder's line of vision.  
'It was closed off four years ago under Emperor Kai's orders. Something about preserving history,' the girl said, her voice taking on a tone of boredom.  
'History?'  
'The owner of that booth turned out to be the Luna Queen. Unbelievable right?! I find myself doubting it every day. Personally, I could never see _that _girl being royalty. She was my stepsister you know.'

Cinder shut her eyes tightly as her brain registered the identity of the woman before her. She dared to look up and called off her glamour momentarily. The woman gasped and took a step back, her eyes widening in surprise.  
'Pearl,' Cinder muttered melting her surprise back into an expressionless face.  
'You've got to be kidding me,' Pearl groaned, rubbing her eyes as if to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

Cinder called back her glamour before anyone else could realise they were in the presence of the Luna queen and made her way around Pearl.  
'I'll see you later I guess,' she said hurriedly and quickened her pace, eager to get away from her stepsister.  
But before Cinder could disappear into the crowd of people surrounding them, Pearl latched her arm around Cinder's and dragged her the opposite way.  
'Oh no you don't! Coming to the Eastern Commonwealth and running away like this,' she hissed and proceeded to drag a struggling Cinder towards the other end of the street.

Cinder gave up trying to get away from Pearl and let her weave through the crowds of people towards Adri who was impatiently waiting at the end of the street.  
'Just what took you so long young lady?' Adri asked, the wrinkles on her face adjusting to her frowning expression.  
Pearl's smile was devious as she yanked Cinder next to her, who caught the poor girl off guard and sent her glamour wavering enough for Adri to see who Pearl had brought with her.

'Adri,' Cinder said, her voice as expressionless as a regular android as she stared at her former legal guardian.  
'Cinder!' Adri sounded as though Cinder were some scandalous object. 'How dare you show your face again!'  
Cinder was startled. 'Excuse me? I have every right to be here!'  
'No, you don't. You should be on Luna where you and the rest of your filthy kind belong! Don't think the citizens of the Eastern Commonwealth are blind Cinder! We know your sinister ways! Luna hasn't changed one bit; the citizens and the queen herself! You're the worst of them!' Adri's voice was seething with venom as she wrinkled her nose at Cinder.

Cinder looked bewildered. Adri's scolding had caught her off guard that her glamour had disappeared. All around her people had stopped to watch them, noting Adri's raised voice, Pearl who was watching with devilish delight and the Luna queen herself.  
Warnings of increasing adrenalin and panic flashed across her retina display but Cinder took no heeding to them. She was spotted. Everyone knew the Luna queen was here. But most of all everyone had heard what Adri had said and everyone believed it. There was now a large circle surrounding them and Cinder was sure that the media come soon.

'Is that….'  
'The Lunar queen!'  
'It is her!'  
'How dare she show her face!'  
'She poisoned the emperor!'

Bits of conversation about her flew into her ears so loud it was as if her audio was beyond the maximum volume. Both Pearl and Adri seemed unfazed by the sudden change. But of course, they weren't. This is what they wanted wasn't it? This was their long-awaited revenge on the ward that had gone from nothing to everything while they remained in the background, jealous and angry. The perfect opportunity and time to hurt Cinder, and they'd taken it. Cinder took a step away from them but all around them were angry citizens, yelling at her, scolding her.

'I…I didn't do anything!' Cinder cried as she gasped for air, watching the people move in on her. But that was a lie wasn't it? Because it was her fault he'd eaten the apple. She had done something.  
'Don't lie to us,' Pearl said, looking smug. 'Admit it, you want the Eastern Commonwealth. You want to rule just like Levana!'  
Cinder shook her head frantically, but all the angry faces around her told her whatever she said would not be believed.

_Run. _

It was the only word in her mind, and gathering her skirts into her fists she raced towards the crowd, her head down so people couldn't see the fear on her face. People screamed as she ran towards them and she mustered all her concentration to her thoughts.  
_Move. Move away. Let me through.  
_Her glamour worked and the crowd split to make way for her as she dashed across the marketplace towards the palace. The people raced after her, angry comments searing into her back.

_Run. Don't stop. Run._

Her retina display was flashing warnings at her, blinding her vision. She forced them all to go away and ran for her life, that palace gates finally visible. As she neared the gates, the Eastern Commonwealth guards became alert of the large mass of people following her.  
'Help, please!' She cried, but it came out more as a whisper as she ran out of breaths.

Cinder tripped over a small rock and fell onto the pathway in front of the gates with a scream. She scrambled back frantically as the few guards guarding the palace came to stand in front of her yelling into their portscreens for backup.

'She killed the emperor!'  
'Get her!'  
'Just like Levana!'  
'She's just as evil as them!'

She felt hands help her to her feet and met Torin's worried gaze. With one hand supporting her back and the other clasping her hand he led her into the palace. Cinder looked back and saw the angry mob of people who'd chased her being driven back by the crowd but all eyes were on her as she entered the safety of the palace. But even though they weren't following her anymore, their words were, thick with hatred and anger, their words pierced her ears, her flesh, her heart.

_She killed the emperor! Just like Levana! How dare she show her face!_

Again, the comm from last night filled her thoughts. She found herself stumbling and Torin strong arms tightening their grip as he led her through the hallways and towards her room.  
'It's okay, It's okay,' Torin's voice breathed near her ear, trying to ease her nerves. They entered the guest wing hallway and Torin opened her door. She blindly followed him into the room, staring straight ahead.

She heard Torin gasp and felt his grip tighten in surprise. He tried to spin her around to usher her out the room, but Cinder stood rigid to the spot, unable to move. Unable to tear her gaze away from the scene before her.  
'Come back outside. There's nothing to see. There's nothing to see,' he said, his tone urgent and horrified. 'Come this way, we'll go to another room. There's nothing for you to see here.' He tried again to lead her out the door, covering her eyes while he did.  
But it was too late. Cinder had already seen what was in the room.

She'd already seen the white sheets of her bed stained red. She'd already seen the window open wide and the curtains billowing wildly. She'd already seen the knife impaled into his chest with the blood oozing out, soaking his lab coat. She'd already seen what Torin didn't want her to see.

She'd already seen the body of Dr Jayden sprawled lifeless on the floor, his head lulled to face her with blood smeared all over.

She screamed.

* * *

**It was longer than the previous chapters and the events may have gone a bit too fast, but I hope it was okay to understand. Hopefully, these next few weeks won't be as congested as the last one was and I get quicker updates to you.**

**Also, thank you to RyuRyu Zucchini Chan and CrimsonKira for giving me inspiration for the events in this chapter! I love you guys~ **

**And thank you everyone else for your reviews and likes and favourites! They also mean a lot to me, more than words could express! **

**Thank you for patiently waiting~**


	17. The Dying Queen

**Here it is, at last, chapter seventeen~**

* * *

The scream was loud, filled with disbelief and surprise. But most of all it was filled with terror. Cress raced toward the next hallway where she was sure the scream had come from and was met with a scene that made her more anxious than the scream itself. Cinder stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, her eyes wide and fearful set on the door to her chambers. Torin stood beside her desperately trying to move her away from whatever was keeping her there. Two guards came into view from the other side of the hallway.

'Close the door and guard it!' Torin cried out to them as their eyes darted from the Luna queen to the door. They slammed the door shut and covered the door with the frame of their bodies so that only a bit of it was left open for sight. Torin squeezed Cinder's shoulders and pushed her gently towards the side of the hallway Cress had come from. He looked up to see her and a sudden expression of relief passed over his face.

'Crescent Moon!' he called out to her but it was unneeded as Cress made her way to Cinder's side. 'Take her away from here. Somewhere that's comforting for her but far enough from here.'  
As Cress took Cinder's hands and led her toward the one room she could think of as a safe haven, Torin raced the other way no doubt to get security and more guards for whatever lay beyond the doors. She led Cinder into the elevator and together in silence, they moved to Kai's bedroom chambers hoping that would be the place that would calm her down.

Cress moved around on her seat in the sitting room adjoined to the emperor's bedroom, trying to find a comfortable position while she listened to Scarlet recount the events that she'd been told by Torin. She peered up from her portscreen into the ajar door that led to Kai's bedroom where Cinder lay on his bed, hiding under his quilts.  
'Do you think he left a note on what he wanted to tell us?' Scarlet's voice inquired from the speakers of her portscreen. Cress looked down to meet Scarlet's calculating eyes.  
'I wouldn't think so. He wouldn't have had a clue that he would be struck especially in Cinder's chambers and besides they found nothing on his portscreen right?' Cress sighed.

Scarlet remained silent for a while; Cress could see how tired she was. Tired from hours of sitting and listening in on the details of the Luna doctor's death with no leads as to who had done it or how they'd done it.

They were all tired; tired of hitting into dead ends with nowhere else to go.

'How's Cinder?' Scarlet asked a hint of worry evident in her tone of voice.  
Cress glanced at the hopefully sleeping Cinder who had taken to hugging Kai's pillow an hour or so ago.  
'She's…I don't know actually. She's in her own world, her own trail of thoughts.'  
'Where are you both?'  
'Emperor Kai's room. His actual room,' Cress added the last bit quickly after Scarlet's eyebrows raised in question.  
From behind Scarlet, Cress could hear approaching footsteps and voices deep in conversation.  
Scarlet sighed. 'I'll see you around. Take care of her.'  
The screen turned black.

Cress silently sat beside Cinder with a hand on her hand in an attempt to make her feel better. She tried to voice reason again.  
'Cinder….everything will be okay…we'll find out what he wanted to tell us…' she murmured.  
Cinder wasn't convinced. Cress had tried over and over to tell Cinder that they'd find the information and they'd save Kai before the worst came but Cinder seemed to be thinking otherwise. She shook her head from under the quilt.

'How?! He said it was too dangerous to send over comms or the net so it couldn't be on any devices,' she cried, her voice partly muffled.  
'Maybe he told one of the other researchers.'  
'I doubt it.'  
'You've doubted everything I've said so far.'  
'Because there is no hope.'

Cress was startled at the words that had come out of Cinder's mouth. _Because there is no hope._ It couldn't have been Cinder who said that; the girl who was always the most determined of them all. Cress pulled the quilts to see Cinder looking up at her, the pillow being squeezed in her grasp.  
'Who told you that?! There is hope! There is always hope!' Cress scolded, a frown forming on her face contrasting to Cinder's innocent, lost face.

Cinder pursed her lips.  
'Who?' Cress demanded folding her arms over her chest.  
Huffing, Cinder sat up and fell back against the bed's headrest with the pillow still in her arms.  
'Jacin,' she murmured shoving her face into the pillow so her reply came out muffled and barely audible.  
But it was loud enough for Cress to here. 'When?!'

Cinder remained silent for a long moment before she put her head up and looked into Cress' eyes and Cress could've sworn there was a slight expression of guilt on her face.  
'That day…when I was in the infirmary after that attack and you were with me and we were talking about how we could ease Kai's pain…'  
Cress motioned for Cinder to continue.  
'Well…when you both left the room, I heard him say that there was no hope.'  
Cress let out a relieved laugh. 'Stars! For a moment I thought he'd told you directly. I was imagining Scarlet trying to wring his neck.'  
Cinder looked perplexed at her sudden change in mood.

'When Jacin said that he didn't mean there was no hope of finding a cure. Stars, he knows well enough that he should never mention that even if it did cross his mind. He meant that there was no hope of getting you back to Luna. He knows how determined you are and he knows that you wouldn't leave Kai's side even if it meant your death!' Cress explained and she found herself smiling at Cinder's confused look which turned into one of embarrassment and understanding.  
'Oh…I…I…thought…' she stammered but was cut off as Cress placed a hand on her shoulder.  
'There is a cure and we will find it. You make yourself believe that and everyone else will believe it too.'

_The information is much too valuable to be spoken over a comm.  
_That had been the doctor's words when Scarlet, Winter, Cress and Cinder had asked him why he couldn't tell them straight away. Cress thought back to the previous night when they'd received an urgent comm from Luna's research labs when they were sitting together in Cinder's room.

'_Your Majesty,' Dr. Jayden smiled at her, his eyes glinting, as to why though neither of the four girls- Cress, Cinder, Scarlet or Winter- could decipher. He straightened a little nodding slightly in respect to the other girls sitting beside Cinder around Scarlet's portscreen.  
'Is something the matter on Luna?' Winter asked, her eyes wide hinting at fear but when the doctor shook his head the fear was gone, replaced with relief.  
'Then why the urgent comm?' Scarlet asked sharing a confused look with Cinder._

'_There has been a development in the research we've been conducting here on the Letumosis His Majesty has been diagnosed with,' the doctor said and Cress noted that his tone was almost happy.  
Beside Cress, Cinder tensed and her eyes widened in surprise. 'A development?!'  
The doctor nodded but the smile on his face vanished and was replaced with a serious, urgent look.  
'But I cannot tell you over a comm or through any devices. I must tell you in person.'  
'You are asking for permission to come to the Eastern Commonwealth?' Cress asked._

_She and Scarlet shared a look of worry. Both girls had decided that it wasn't safe for any other Luna ships to enter the Earth's atmosphere; things were tense as they were and if more ships came the Earthens would increase their suspicion.  
Cress turned back to the doctor. 'It isn't a very good idea to come to the Eastern Commonwealth at a time like this Doctor. It isn't a good idea to come to Earth as a whole.'  
'I know how the situation is with the Earthens but it is important. I would ask you to come to Luna since it would be better and quicker but,' his eyes settled to Cinder who'd crossed her arms over her chest, 'Her Majesty would not have that would she?'  
Cinder shook her head. 'I'm not leaving and that's final. Why can't you tell us over a comm? Or send us a report?'  
'I'm afraid I will not do that, Your Majesty. The information is much too valuable to be sent over any devices. It would be easy for whoever is behind this all to access it and stop us from finding a cure using the development.'_

'_It won't matter! Once we have the information it won't matter whether the person behind this knows! They have no way of getting to Luna to stop the research! They can't do anything to it!' Cinder argued back making the doctor a little unsettled.  
'Your Majesty, if the person has this information they could do a lot of damage. Not only would it affect the development of a cure but it could bring a much worse calamity. I will not have it, Your Majesty. I will not risk the safety of everything.' Dr. Jayden said, his voice was stern and loud enough to compete with Cinder's._

_Cress shuddered; the doctor never really talked like that to Cinder. For him to go against the queen's authority and match the intensity of her voice, the information must have been extremely delicate and the calamity that it could cause if it got into the wrong hands must have been more disastrous than any of them thought.  
Cinder let out a cry of exasperation. 'This is His Majesty's life we're talking about!? How can we waste time travelling to one another when it would be much quicker and convenient to discuss it now!?'_

_Cress could hear the desperation in Cinder's voice and she didn't blame her. Kai was everything to her; if his life was at stake nothing else would matter. But Dr. Jayden was also right; if the information he had could cause something much worse than the time for him to travel to Earth would be nothing.  
'I suppose,' Scarlet said carefully, placing a hand on Cinder's shoulder to calm her down, 'We have no choice but for you to come to us, Doctor.' She glared at Cinder who was giving her a speechless betrayed look. 'If you feel that is the safest and best option for all of us.'  
'I do,' he said. 'I will come as quickly as possible if it makes Her Majesty feel better.'_

_Cinder stood up and stormed towards the door. 'It won't make me feel better. Nothing will at this rate.' She slammed the door behind her and her footsteps receded down the hallway.  
Cress shot the doctor an apologetic look. 'Forgive her Doctor. It's a rough time for her with His Majesty being ill and all the misfortune that has come upon us.'  
The doctor nodded but there was still a hint of sadness in his expression. 'I understand how Her Majesty feels. This information could save the emperor's life at once but it could also kill them both at once. It is important but dangerous.'_

'_Kill them both?' Winter sounded alarmed.  
'It isn't safe to discuss any further over comm,' he said hurriedly as if covering up what he'd said.  
'I guess we'll see you tomorrow afternoon then Doctor. Thank you,' Scarlet said.  
The doctor began to nod but stopped midway. 'One more thing,' he said. 'Please tell Her Majesty that I am deeply sorry for having to withhold the information from her for more time than she would like.'  
Cress nodded, noting it down in her memory to tell Cinder when she'd cooled down.  
'Sometimes the answer to our problems is closer than we realise. And sometimes the best cure, the best remedy is love.'  
The comm ended._

'Cress!' Cinder was shaking her arm peering up at her face.  
'W-What?! Weren't you asleep?!' Cress cried, equally startled.  
'I woke up,' Cinder deadpanned. 'But you were off in your own world for stars knows how long. I was worried!'  
'Sorry…I was just lost in thought.'  
Cinder eyed her carefully before sitting upright once more.

'Could you do me a favour?' Cinder asked, picking at the ends of the pillowcase as if she was too embarrassed to look Cress in the eye.  
'What do you want me to do?'  
'Could you contact Luna and ask them to send a few more guards here. Maybe another one of Jacin's squads so the Earthens don't get too hyped. I also want the entry docks to Luna to have more security and I want stricter guard around Luna's galactic territory. Every ship needs to be checked and tested before they're allowed in.'

Cress nodded and moved towards the door to leave but she spun around just before she closed the door behind her.  
'Hey…umm…Dr. Jayden asked me to tell you something…after you stormed out during the comm last night.'  
A wave of sadness washed over her face, remembering that her head doctor was dead and the last she'd spoken to him was in an argument.  
'He said…that sometimes the answer to our problems is closer than we realise and that sometimes the best cure, the best remedy is love,' she said quoting the doctor's words as carefully as she could.

It was then, looking at Cinder from where she was standing, that Cress saw a look on Cinder's face that she thought she would never see again. A look of a woman reminiscing lost memories and past people. A look of a woman with a haunted past.

The look of a woman who was being crushed by her own delusions and thoughts.

* * *

**. . . **

**The last paragraph turned about a bit more morbid than I'd realised. . .  
**

**Please review if you can, I would really love to know your opinions or your thoughts in general. They mean a lot to me!**

**And thank you so much for reading~ I love all you guys ~**

**Arya **


	18. The Agonising Wait

**It's been so long!  
Finally, I'm able to update but I'll make the reason for my delay a little clearer at the end author's note.  
I'm so sorry though for making you wait so long and beginning to lose hope in an update but don't fear because I plan on finishing this!**

* * *

The sun's rays filled the room with a brilliant radiance, illuminating the various ornaments that displayed themselves on the walls and shelves of Kai's personal office. Everything in the room was polished and set in positions of beautiful design besides the little cyborg foot that stood awkwardly on his table among the clatter of work.

Everything was bright, except for the atmosphere of course.

Cinder slouched most unladylike on the single chair not wanting to be seated next to someone else. Torin was seated opposite her and Huy Dershal was beside him. All of them, with their weary and frustrated expressions, made the atmosphere contrast heavily to their surroundings.

'We've talked to countless witnesses since the sudden protest but we haven't been able to get a hold of anyone who could've been the direct cause without proof,' Dershal said, gritting his teeth.  
'And no one would believe me because they all want to kill me,' Cinder added.  
Torin pursed his lips. 'We're still working on trying to calm the crowd and convince them you aren't the threat to us but…'  
'They won't have it,' Dershal muttered when Torin stopped. 'They still believe in the old Lunar rumours and they still believe that an attack is being planned.'

Cinder groaned; everything she'd worked hard for had been taken away from her in a matter of weeks. All the trust and reputation she'd made for her and Luna were just scattered pieces of dust only to be wiped clean and never to be remembered. And Cinder herself had gained a reputation she never wanted- a reputation on the same level as Levana.

The noise of Huy Dershal's portscreen snapped Cinder out of her long trail of pessimistic thoughts. He fiddled around with it before standing up, bowing respectfully on his way.  
'I apologise Your Majesty. It seems the security team needs me for something.'  
Cinder nodded and with a wave of her hand he left the room in a hurry.  
The doors closed.

Cinder and Torin sat in silence for a long while, their minds drifting off into separate trails of thoughts. Cinder's mind instantly went to the last time she saw Kai two days ago, after the strange comm from the women at his bedside. The women hadn't been there when she went and authorities had informed her she wasn't there when they went straight after the comm either.

She'd found herself sitting at his bedside watching him sleep, which was the only thing he had been able to do ever since he'd entered the last stage of Letumosis apart from blink warily up at people. She'd watched as his chest rose and fell as he breathed and watched as he winced in pain, which was, to Cinder's dismay, most of the time.

He'd been asleep the last time she was there and so he didn't hear the soft murmur that escaped her lips in the form of apologies and thoughts. She heard him, though. She heard his incoherent mumbling as his lips parted for air in his sleep. He mumbled on about his mother and father and Cinder herself. She was sure she heard Torin's name somewhere in there too.

The thought of her visit to Kai gripped her heart the way one strangles a neck. She felt herself gasping for breath and felt a pounding headache form. She looked to Torin who was staring out the window from his seat, lost in thought and by the grimace on his face, Cinder knew they'd been thinking about the same thing. Torin turned his gaze to Cinder when he was finally aware she was watching him. He gave her a tight smile as if he knew what she was thinking.

'It's painful; first his mother then his father and now him. And this time, there isn't a little child running around the palace to remind me of him or to carry on his spirit,' Torin said with a sigh.  
Cinder nodded numbly. 'I don't know how much longer I can bear to see him like this Torin.'  
Torin's gaze fluttered away from her for a second before returning to her, but that was enough for Cinder to know he was hiding something. There was a sickening twist in her stomach.

'How much longer?' she asked him.  
'How much longer for what?' he asked, but the look on his face told Cinder he knew what she was talking about.  
'How much longer does Kai have left?'  
'The Letumosis is taking its time…'  
'Don't make me use my glamour on you.'

There was a long silence and finally when Torin could no longer hold her intent gaze, his head dropped in defeat and his voice murmured an answer so soft, yet so cold and piercing.

'One week at best.'

Cinder covered her face with her hands. Even though she knew no tears would come, the look of anguish, and soon the headache that would follow, was too much for anyone to see. Torin sighed, internally scolding himself no doubt for telling her. He sat down on the armrest of her chair and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

'It's okay,' he murmured, his voice soft and soothing, but it was missing something that it had once carried the many other times he'd comforted her.

Hope.

'Why…' it was the only thing Cinder could say.  
_Why Kai? Why her? Why Letumosis? Why did it have to be the people she loved most?_

She'd always been blamed for deaths of the people she'd held close.  
First, Garan who'd come to the European Federation to adopt her. To take her to a better future.  
Dead because of her.  
Then Peony who'd accompanied her to the junkyard. The one person who treated her like she was normal.  
Dead because of her.  
Now Kai, who'd supported her and believed in her all the way through her problems. The person she loved, and the person who loved her.  
Dying.

The door burst open and Torin quickly stood up a few inches away from Cinder's chair. Cinder looked up to see a figure that focused into Thorne. He stood alone, his eyes intently watching her. There was something in his eyes; not the usual jokiness or calmness. Rather there was…

Anger?

Cinder stood up and inched closer to him, worry adding itself to her expression.  
'Thorne?'  
He didn't move. Only stared at her intently, calculating and dark.  
She stood in front of him now and she outstretched her hand to touch his in comfort.  
This time he moved.

She felt strong hands lock around her neck.

* * *

**I am so sorry for such a late update!  
Technology (especially my computer) seems to be hating on me for some reason. So my computer went skipping away back to service and the spare laptop I was using was being retarded on me and so I had no way of finishing this chapter until now. Every time I read the "please update" and "don't stop this story" review I was always sitting there going "I won't stop! I'm dying to update!"**

**Well hopefully, now that the temporary laptop I'm using is being a little more stable than it was before, I can finally access all my documents and finally can continue with my updates in peace (hopefully).**

**I also apologise if this chapter was a little boring or had any mistakes in it since it didn't go through much revision. . . (hehe...my bad...)**

**Thank you so much for reading (Even though it was a shorter chapter than usual) and please review so I know what you guys think ~**

**With love,**

**Arya**


	19. The Bane Of Existence

**Surprise! Didn't expect me to update huh? Don't worry, neither did I…**

* * *

They were strong and rough against her soft skin, threatening to snap it and break all the wires running through. She felt her airways contract and helplessly gasped for breath. Warnings flashed on her retina display but they came in such masses they appeared jumbled and nonsensical. She felt the wires running through her nervous system slowly lose connection. Her body felt limp against the wall she'd been run into. She dangled lifelessly in the air against the wall with Thorne's hands locked around her throat.

His eyes were wild, mixed with rage that matched a crazy, senseless man. His teeth were gritted and his hands trembled with determination to snap her neck and kill her. Cinder tried to feel his bioelectricity, to wrap her mind around his and force him to stop. She felt it humming in him but she was too weak to do anything. His eagerness to kill her was sapping her strength and life rapidly. His hands clenched tighter.

'Thorne!' Jacin's voice roared from behind him as he came running into the room. 'Stop it you're going to kill her!'  
He joined Torin who was desperately trying to pry Thorne's grip off of her. Cinder was aware that others had come into the room too.  
'What are you trying to do?! Kill the Lunar Queen and get yourself into trouble?' Wolf hissed as he and Scarlet came closer.  
His grip slackened but only slightly. Cinder was desperately running out of oxygen.

'She didn't do it! Let her go!' Scarlet screamed. 'She wouldn't want you to do this to Cinder!'  
Thorne's hands left her throat as Jacin and Torin managed to pull his hands away. Cinder dropped to the floor and hunched over, gasping for breath frantically. Her hands went up to her neck and her fingertips traced over the red marks of Thorne's hands. Thorne still stood, restrained by Jacin and now Wolf, staring at her with murderous eyes.

'I don't care! I'll kill her!' he shouted trying to lunge forward but Wolf held him back. Jacin let go of his grip on Thorne to let Wolf use his full force. Thorne's voice filled the room with fury.  
'I'LL KILL HER!'  
'She didn't do it,' Scarlet cried out.  
'I SWEAR I'LL KILL HER'  
'Thorne, please! Come to your senses!'  
'LET ME GO! I'LL STRANGLE HER TILL HER NECK SNAPS AND HER BLOOD RUNS FREE! I'LL KILL HER!'

Cinder's gaze flickered up to his eyes to find them still fixed on her, crazy and unpredictable. Suddenly, there was a loud thump and his eyes rolled. He slumped forward and Wolf quickly steadied them both. Jacin stood behind him, watching him with calculating eyes.  
'Jacin!' Scarlet shrieked, horrified as she realised it was he who had hit Thorne's head from behind.  
Jacin glared at her. 'What? Would you rather I let him go screaming like a madman and kill her?'  
Scarlet looked towards Cinder, who was still gasping for breath clutching her neck while watching, with a sympathetic look.

She turned to Wolf. 'Take him to the infirmary. Check if Jacin left any bumps on his head and calm him down when he wakes up. Don't let him wander off alone.'  
Wolf nodded and picked Thorne up and over his shoulder and carried him out as though he were carrying a bag of sorts.

Jacin reached over and carried Cinder up, one arm under her knees and the other against her back. He set her down on the sofa and sat down beside her. Scarlet crouched in front of her and inspected her neck.  
'Did he have to press so hard?' Scarlet muttered as she tried to touch the mark he'd left.  
Cinder jerked away too quickly and she groaned in pain.  
'Sorry, sorry,' Scarlet said, attempting a smile.

'What did he want?'  
They jumped at Torin's voice and Jacin looked up at him wearily.  
'Isn't it obvious what he wanted?' Jacin asked, raising an eyebrow.  
'Jacin!' Scarlet hissed. 'Can you not!'  
'Why did he want to kill me?' Cinder managed to ask, although every word that escaped her lips was painful.

'He thought you did it,' Scarlet murmured, turning to face Cinder again.  
'Thought I did what?'  
'You can't be serious,' Jacin sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose and looked at her with disbelieving eyes.  
Cinder replied with a blank look.  
'Cress is sick,' he replied vaguely.  
'Sick with what?'  
Scarlet bit her lip before replying.

'Letumosis.'

Cinder bit her lip and looked down at her hands while she sat on the exam table of one of the palace's research labs. Jacin had carried her to the lab room for testing in case she did have the pathogens after much protesting that she could walk on her own. Scarlet stood beside her and Jacin waited outside, guarding the room. Winter was with the doctors who had been with Cress and Wolf was with Thorne who was still unconscious to Jacin's surprise.  
'Wow….never knew my hits were so effective,' he'd said earning a glare from Scarlet.

Fateen and Li came in alongside Yuki, who'd reassured Cinder that she doubted the pathogens were present.  
'Nope, nothing. Looks like there was nothing for a day or two,' Li said with a tired smile. 'Just like the doctors with Cress told us when they first diagnosed her. She hadn't been in contact with it until a while before they found her.  
Cinder raised her eyebrows at Scarlet.

'So,' Jacin, who'd followed them inside said, 'you're telling me that Thorne lost it and went ahead and nearly killed our beloved queen all the while you knew that she had nothing to do with this?'  
Jacin wasn't one to care much about others, but he'd grown quite protective of both Winter and Cinder. After all, he was the one that had the specialty and experience in protecting crazy princesses.  
'Well…I suppose but it wasn't solid information yet,' Fateen muttered.  
'Well that not-so-solid information could've saved us a hell lot of trouble,' Jacin shot back.  
'It's okay Jacin,' Cinder said not wanting another dramatic scene unfolding before her.

'That leaves us one question, though,' Yuki's quiet voice interrupted.  
Everyone's eyes turned to her.  
'How did she get sick?'  
Cinder sighed; another strike from whoever was behind this all. Jacin went to stand beside Cinder, all the while eyeing each of the researchers standing before them.  
'And we have no lead in any cure whatsoever?' Scarlet asked, even though she probably already knew the answer.  
The researchers shook their head in unison.

'We're close, though, we think…' Yuki squeaked.  
'You're always close.'  
'Jacin!' Scarlet scolded him for the fourth time in a short period of time.  
'How about Luna? Do they have any leads?' Li asked, trying to prevent another argument.  
'We were close. Our head doctor had found some important information but-' Scarlet started but was cut off by Jacin's anger.  
'But obviously this place doesn't seem to take outside threats very seriously and so he was killed before we could get any information.'

This time, there was no scolding from Scarlet; they all had the same feeling towards the security of the Eastern Commonwealth palace. Li looked embarrassed and looked down to his feet.  
'We heard about that…We do give you our deepest sympathies,' Fateen murmured.  
'Anyway,' Li said cautiously trying to avoid meeting Jacin's eyes. 'We think it would be necessary for Her Majesty to…'  
'To what?' Scarlet asked, narrowing her eyes.  
'To stay away from His Majesty from now on.'  
Cinder was caught off guard; she'd been expecting the _go to Luna _request which she was prepared to decline viciously.

_Stay away from Kai? Surely they couldn't mean that?_

'Maybe the pathogens of the later stages of Letumosis take longer to disappear than the earlier stages or maybe they can survive in anything Her Majesty touches so it's best to just stay away and prevent it all together,' Fateen told her with a sympathetic look on her face.  
'But-'  
'I'm afraid it's the only option, Your Majesty.'

Cinder felt a pain in her chest. The only reason she'd been able to barely stand Kai's sickness was the fact that she could see him, touch him, be with him. But now how could she survive if she couldn't even see him?  
The woman's words came rushing back to her.

_You're the reason he's dying. You're the reason he's like this. It's your fault and you can't deny it. You know it is the truth._

Kai.

_You think you're helping him by being at his side? You're wrong. You're killing him. Each day you stay by his side, each moment you touch him, you bring him closer to his death. You make it all the more painful for him._

Kai. Garan.

_You are killing him. Him and everyone else around you.  
_

Kai. Garan. Peony.

_Him and everyone else around you._

Kai. Garan. Peony. Cress.

_Everyone else around you._

Kai. Garan. Peony. Cress. The people of Earth and Luna.

She'd been the reason behind all of their deaths. And she no longer blamed Adri and Pearl for their revenge. She no longer blamed the citizens for trying to hurt her. She no longer blamed Thorne for his fury.

She needed to disappear. She needed to stop existing.

Because she was the murderer wasn't she?

* * *

**I had to include Jacin a little more…I rarely did in any of the other chapters~ **

**(he is one of my favourite characters…) **

**Well anyway, thank you so much for reading and reviewing (100+ reviews! Can you believe it?! ) I didn't think my story would catch so many people's interests and I'm so glad that it did! **

**Please continue reviewing because it really is motivating to continue writing and I would love to know your thoughts and opinions on the story and my writing.**

**Love you guys,  
Arya**


	20. The Price of Protection

**Hello,**

**Long time no see…here is the update that you've been looking forward to for more than a month…**

**Enjoy? Hehe….**

* * *

The hallway to Cress' quarantine room was desolate, mostly because everyone was taking a detour if it meant avoiding Letumosis at all costs. Whatever the reason, Jacin was happy for the peacefulness.

That was until the screams started.

They were high-pitched and full of distress but the voice was slightly muffled. It was distinctly female and the only interruption was the heartbroken sobs. Jacin stood rooted to the spot as his brain paired the voice to a face. An all too familiar face.

'Winter!'

Jacin ran towards the door where the voice was coming from and raced down the stairs, skipping as many as he could. He was met with rows of empty prison cells.  
'Help!'  
The desperate plea echoed through the hallway. In a state of panic, Jacin raced towards the cell where the noise was coming from. Grabbing onto the frame of the doorway he swerved into the room.

He felt bile rising up his throat. Blood painted the white walls a glistening red. The prison bed was littered with guns and weapons. Gingerly, he entered and reached for one of the guns closest to him.  
Empty.

'Help!'

The voice made him jump and drop the gun. He spun around and came face to face with his squadron of lunar guards.  
Dead lunar guards.  
There were all slumped against the wall with their heads drooped over their chests. Blood soaked their shirts and stained their hands crimson. Jacin's eyes shifted above their heads to see the blood-written writing.

_How many people are you willing to kill, Queen?_

And above that was…

Jacin cursed under his breath as he took a tentative step towards the small plush toy of Winter, nailed through the place where one's heart would be to the wall.  
'Help!' it squeaked in her desperate voice.  
With a guttural and frustrated scream, Jacin slammed his fist into the doll, effectively shutting it up. Blood dripped down his knuckles. His eyes widening in alarm, he looked back at the doll.

A mini fountain of blood poured out.  
His face twisted in disgust.  
It landed onto one of the dead guard's hands who clasped a remote of sorts.  
Jacin realised what was happening all too late.

The lights flashed off accompanied by the sound of electrical wires that had been soaked in water. Or in this case, blood. He heard the tapping of shoes behind him and turned so swiftly he nearly tripped over an arm. He sought out the wall to steady himself on the slippery floor and found himself in one of the corners of the prison cell.  
'Damn it,' he muttered.  
But before he could move, he felt a searing pain in his chest.

It happened all so quickly. He felt something hard jab into his chest and the searing pain came screaming out of his body as though all his organs had declared war on his skin so they could see the outside world for themselves. He hunched only to be bashed in his legs with the thing. He heard the _swoosh _of the weapon as it swung towards his shoulders and he grabbed it with all his might. A metal pole found itself in the grip of Jacin Clay. The figure on the other end tried to pull it away but he was much stronger. Ignoring the stinging pain, he leapt forward and drove the metal pole towards the other end. It smashed against the wall.

The pole lost its grip on the other end. He brought it towards him with a triumphant smirk but his winning moment was short-lived. Another metal pole collided with his back sending him crashing to the floor. He yelled in pain and the metal pole fell out of his grip and landed beside him. He heard footsteps…footsteps belonging to two people instead of one …

'Ambush…' he grunted to himself as he struggled to push himself up but the floor was slippery with blood. He heard the other pole lifting off the ground and without thinking he wildly grabbed in the direction of the pole. He touched cloth and gripped harder. The victimised foot kicked wildly but he held on the way one holds the edge of a cliff so they don't fall off.

He tugged at the foot and sent his opponent toppling down. Quickly he let go and rolled over, jumping to his feet and brandishing his hidden hunting knife that was always with him. He concentrated and heard soft footsteps as his fallen enemy stood up and came at him with the metal rod. Tightening his grip on his knife, he swung…and hit. His knife cut through easily and he heard the soft whimper of the victim.

He pulled his knife back to his side and took a step back. His ankle collided with a limp leg and he fell backwards, hitting his head against the floor. The vibration of footsteps was loud against his ear but they became quieter and quieter.  
Soon there were no steps at all.  
Within a minute of the silence, the lights turned on again as though everything was normal.

Jacin surveyed the room. The lunar guards were littered across the floor (Jacin was still wondering how they'd ended up like that) and the room had a new makeover, with all the walls and floor painted a rich red. The room was a mess.  
Much like Jacin.  
He was bloody from head to toe with cuts and bruises everywhere he'd been hit. His hunting knife was still in his hand but there was no blood on the knife like he'd expected. Hadn't he hit his target?

Mustering up whatever strength he had left, Jacin stood up. Glancing around the prison cell one last time to make sure he knew which one it was though it was quite obvious with what had happened inside, he limped out and made his way back up into the hallway. He tried not to spill as much blood as he could but with most, if not all, of his wounds bleeding it was hard to. Really, he didn't care whether people saw the blood or not. He'd be happy if they did; maybe that would knock some sense into the palace to take their security seriously. There was only one person he didn't want to bump into; Winter.

He knew she would freak out and panic for weeks to come much like he did whenever something happened to her.  
'Please…I'll deal with anything, just don't let me bump into Winter,' he muttered as he turned the corner and headed towards Cress' quarantine room knowing the others would probably be looking for him there. A guard or two passed him on his way and their eyes popped out of their sockets in disbelief as they watched a bloody lunar guard walk past. Jacin glared at them and, out of fear most likely, they turned their stares away and hurried off.

Finally, he could see the hallway in which Cress' room was located and there was no sign of either of the lunar royals, much to his relief. He quickened his pace as much as his injured legs would allow him to and turned the corner into the hallway of the room.

He should've heard the footsteps from metres away but he had been in very deep thoughts that he'd dismissed it as something else. He cursed himself for not paying attention to his surroundings and he cursed himself for getting into the mess that made him like this in the first place. Pulling on the calmest expression he could, he raised his head and looked straight into the eyes of the person he'd crashed into.

Winter.

* * *

**And that brings me to the end of this long awaited update which brings me to my reasons for having not been able to update for so long. ^-^"**

**My weeks have been filled with busy work, assignments and exams (I still have a few left) and so I had absolutely no time to write the new chapter, let alone think about it. It was one of the chapters I was looking forward to writing too! Well anyway, hopefully (I always say this but I really mean it) I can update more regularly in the next few weeks and I really do hope you enjoyed the chapter.  
And I do apologise for my late updates etc. it really is frustrating for me too, not being able to write all the time.**

**Also, please hold onto the hope of me finishing this story because I really do want to finish it so if my updates are late, don't worry because I have not given up on it. ^-^**

**That being said, have a wonderful weekend~**

**Arya **


	21. Where Loyalties Lie

**Continuing with Jacin's perspective ~  
Originally supposed to be part of the previous chapter but I felt it was going on forever so…**

* * *

Her scream was high-pitched, a mix of horror and fright and other emotions Jacin couldn't quite pick up on.  
'Shhh!' he muttered, placing a trembling finger to her lips.  
She stopped, but she looked more panicked by the second as her eyes scanned him up and down.  
'What in the world happened to you?' she whispered her tone almost fearful.  
'I'll tell you on the way. I need to find Cinder.'  
'Selene…she isn't here…I saw her wandering around the hallways on my way here, though.'

As they scoured the hallways of the palace, asking guards if they'd seen the queen of Luna, Jacin recounted what had happened. He watched Winter's emotions change the way a kaleidoscope did, sorrow one moment and then fright the next and so on.  
'Selene would want us to tell her…' she murmured lightly, 'but I don't want to. She has more than enough on her mind.'  
Jacin nodded, but he knew that Cinder would be angry if they didn't tell her. What had happened in the prison cell was her battle more than it was his.

They found the queen aimlessly walking in the hallways toward the garden, looking at the flowers that blossomed in the spring sun. Her hair was tied up high in a bun with elaborate silks weaved through the strands of hair. She had adorned herself in a white dress that swished against her hips and trailed behind her. She seemed to be lost in her own world, one of troubles and fear.  
Winter stopped in her tracks. 'She looks so distant and upset. Must we tell her now?'  
Jacin nodded. 'Any later and something else could happen.'

He cleared his throat loud enough for the queen to hear. She spun around startled but recovered at the sight of Jacin and Winter.  
'Is something bothering you Selene?' Winter asked in her honey voice.  
Cinder shook her head, but her face said otherwise. 'What brings you here?' she asked instead, sounding desperate to change the subject.  
'There's something you'd want to see in the prison cells,' Jacin said.  
Cinder raised an eyebrow warily, waiting for Jacin to say more, but when it became clear he wouldn't she nodded and followed them silently.

Jacin stood quietly behind Cinder gripping Winter's hand tightly as he watched the queen take in the prison cell. She was as pale and white as the dress she wore and her lips were so tightly closed, they began to turn white too. He looked down at her hands to see them clenched, but her face remained expressionless. She stepped inside and the bottom of her shoes immediately turned red. She put a hand to her massage her temple and Jacin knew instantly that if she could, tears would be running relentlessly down her cheeks. She let her dress drag against the bloodied floor as she crept toward the dead guards.

She bent down beside one and ran a finger against his cheek. She let out a long sigh before she stood up and regarded Winter.  
'Would you please find Torin for me? Ask him for a few guards to accompany him too.'  
Winter nodded lightly and looked at Jacin as if to ask him if it was okay for her to leave.  
He nodded. 'I'll be fine.'  
Winter stood on her tiptoes until her lips brushed against his ear. 'Look after her too.'  
She turned and made her way out.

Cinder's attention had turned to the blood letters scrawled on the wall. She had tilted her head away from him so he could not see her expression. Her hands unclenched and went limp at her sides. When she spoke, her voice was low and wavering.  
'I'm so sorry Jacin.'  
Jacin hadn't been expecting an apology; he found himself at her side in a few strides. Jacin lifted her chin with one finger so she was looking up at him.  
'You have no reason to apologise. None of this is your fault. Yes, whoever is doing this is targeting you, but you are not at fault. You've done nothing wrong,' he murmured to her.

Cinder gave him a weak smile and he knew she didn't believe him.  
'They are your first-class men aren't they?' she asked, her voice trembling.  
He nodded. 'It's okay. I'll take care of those affairs.'  
They stood there in silence for a while longer. He noticed that she had begun to shake as the weight of the attack on him settled in. He pulled her into an embrace.

It would have been easy for Jacin to just look at her with sympathy and to mutter words that had no weight or emotion behind them. But Jacin knew all too well what Cinder was feeling. He knew all too well what it was like to nearly lose a loved one. He knew what it was like to have so many people looking up to him, relying on him. Maybe he didn't understand all of her pain, but he understood some of it and that, for Jacin, was enough to know that she needed people by her side.

'Can I tell you something?' she asked her voice quiet and full of fear.  
He nodded as encouragement for her to go on.  
'I'm so scared Jacin,' she whispered. 'I'm so scared. I don't know what to do. It feels like the time we started the revolution all over again. I…I don't know what I'm doing.'  
'If you didn't know what you were doing then Luna wouldn't be the glory it is today.'  
She laughed but it seemed distant and full of fright.

'All these people are dying because of me. I thought I would've seen the last of these deaths when Levana was gone, but-' her voice cracked and she stayed silent, trying to recollect herself.  
She didn't need to continue; Jacin knew what she was saying.  
She felt like all the things that had happened were her fault. It was her fault that the person wanted revenge. It was her fault Kai fell ill and Cress so soon after. It was her fault that the attack on Jacin had happened. It was her fault that everything had happened.

For once Jacin couldn't blame her for thinking that way.  
Because it wasn't her fault, but the fault of everyone else. Everyone had made her feel that way with their accusations.

He heard Winter's heels tapping against the staircase as she, Torin and a few guards descended into the prison hallway. He helped Cinder to her feet and returned to his respectful distance as a guard. He stayed close to Cinder in case anything happened to her, but he beckoned Winter to stay close to guard her too.

The footsteps ceased abruptly as Torin's eyes took in the scene before him. The bloody mess had his eyes bulge out more and more and the guards behind him looked equally uncomfortable.  
'What in the-' he started but caught himself and met Cinder's glowering stare.  
'Quite the sight indeed,' she murmured. 'Now please, explain to me how this could be possible given that this is a palace that is supposed to have top security and these are one of Sir Clay's most advanced teams on Luna.'

Torin stayed quiet for a moment too long.  
'Well?' Cinder asked.  
'I…I…I don't know, Your Majesty.'  
'So it seems. What will you be doing about it?'  
He turned around to one of the men. 'Ask the security team to review all footage of the cameras within these premises in the past 24 hours.'  
The guard nodded and left, probably eager to get away from the disturbing scene ahead.

'I will see that these men will be transported to Luna for a proper burial,' Cinder murmured. 'And I also wish that the Eastern Commonwealth will take most, if not all, blame for this.'  
Torin nodded quietly. Cinder sighed and took a step towards him, placing her hand on his shoulder.  
'I know you didn't do anything and I know you're trying your best to ensure the prevention of these types of things but…'  
_But it had happened far too many times and there seems to be no end to it.  
_Jacin agreed silently.

'I know…' Torin muttered.  
The remaining guards at Torin's side stepped forward and, with a flash of a wrist, shut the cell closed. They stood guard as the rest of them filed out silently.

'I'd like it if you filled me in on what happened down there, Sir Clay,' Torin said quietly in a tone that suggested he knew he wasn't going to like what he was going to hear.  
Jacin nodded but Winter looked a little more concerned. 'Could we take him to the infirmary first?' She asked.  
Torin nodded. 'Of course, it's this way.'  
Jacin began to follow Torin with Winter by his side when Cinder's voice rang out behind them.

'Wait.'

The turned around, brow furrowed in concern.  
'Selene, is something wrong?' Winter asked as she came back to Cinder's side.  
Cinder's eyes stared off into the distance past Jacin's shoulder as if she could not look them in the eye.  
'I...I want you to go back to Luna. Both of you.'  
Winter raised her eyebrows in surprise. Jacin didn't think he'd heard her right.  
'What?' he asked.  
'Both of you. I want you to return to Luna,' she repeated quietly.

A long silence passed in between them as Jacin registered her words.  
Go back to Luna?  
'Why?' Winter asked, the uncertainty evident in her voice.  
'Because...' Cinder started. She let her gaze fall as she regained control of her emotions and spoke again. 'Because...I don't want anything happening to you.'  
That wasn't it. There was something else. Another reason.  
'Why?' Jacin asked again stepping closer to her so he towered over her.

She didn't speak for a long time but finally her voice came out in a desperate plea. 'Should...Should something happen to me, at least, Winter and you will be safe to take care of things.'  
Of course, it was that. Why hadn't Jacin realised her reason earlier?

'Winter leaving is fair enough. I can understand your reason,' Jacin muttered, 'but I don't see why I need to.'  
Cinder raised her head to look up at him. 'What do you mean!? I want both of you to go! Winter needs to stay safe and you've already been hurt enough! You need to be with Winter anyway.'

'Thank you for the offer but no,' Jacin hissed, glaring daggers at her. 'There is no way I'm leaving you, the _queen of Luna_, to go hide on the moon and leave you in danger when it is _my_ job to protect you at all costs.'  
'Your job is to protect Winter! Besides, I have Wolf and the other guards here.'  
'My job is to protect the royals of Luna which includes you and Wolf is busy with his guards in training and making sure the palace is as safe as possible alongside the Commonwealth guards so no, you do not have them.'

Cinder was at a loss for words.  
'I'll be okay on Luna without Jacin. No threats can come to me there,' Winter smiled as she pulled Cinder into an embrace.  
'There we go. Winter leaves for Luna, I stay here. Everyone's happy.'  
'I...don't...but...' Cinder stammered as if their argument had wiped her memory of English.  
Jacin reached out and took her hand and pressed a quick kiss against the back of it.  
'This conversation is done. I'm not leaving.'

What happened after that was so rushed, Jacin barely remembered the details. He'd told Torin and his security team what had happened as Winter inspected the med-droids bandaging and Cinder sat quietly in the corner. He'd then led Winter to the docking bay, kissed her goodbye and after a long while of promising safety and exchanging hugs and kisses, she'd boarded the Luna spacecraft.

And then he'd watched in silence as it ascended into the dark sky towards Luna.

* * *

**This chapter only took long to write because I don't really like turning on technology that's connected to power points during storms. And we'd had quite a few storms during the afternoons so…**

**I hope you enjoyed that (1999 words exactly…or that's what Microsoft Word told me hehe…) **


	22. Poisonous Regret

**I'm so sorry! I know it's been more than 10 days since I last updated but I fell sick and I was in no shape to continue writing or anything.**

* * *

Thorne rounded the corner towards the steps leading to the garden, his fingers crossed silently that she was there. He knew he had been unreasonable but anger had blinded him so much so he was only hell-bent on causing her pain.

What a stupid idea that had been.

He barely remembered the words he'd yelled at her, but judging from Scarlet's recounting and Wolf's reaction, he knew it was as bad as he thought. He'd cause her pain and lots of it. And he regretted every moment that passed without him apologising. It was like poison killing him from inside out.  
So here he was now, walking towards where Cinder would hopefully be, to apologise.

He entered the garden with a deep breath and his feet came to a sudden stop. His feet felt like they had a mind of their own as he slowly crept down the stairs into the majestic garden below. This wasn't the gardens of the Eastern Commonwealth that he remembered.

_Had he taken a wrong turn?_

A long cobblestone path paved his way through the many trees and bushes. Flowers of every colour and scent opened up around him as he walked, protruding out from the lush green grass that glittered with dew at its tips.

_Was he dreaming?_

Bees flew about the flowers, collecting pollen and they passed him like he didn't even exist. Butterflies fluttered around him. A red one and a blue one danced around his head and many others followed him, scattered like stars in a night sky. Ahead there was a beautiful bench and a shimmering fountain that spewed out water that sparkled the way it did when moonlight hit it. He passed it and came to a stop in front of a rose bush that was covered in blood red roses and smelt of beautiful scents that he knew he could never describe.

And in front of that was a beautiful woman. A very beautiful woman.

She was beauty at its best. Her brown hair was in soft curls, flowing down her back. Her white dress lined her figure elegantly, the ends brushing against the grass. Her tan skin was flawless. She was flawless. The woman gently picked a rose from the bush and plucked away its thorns carefully. Around her, the butterflies danced and twirled.

She turned towards him and the scene vanished.

Instead of the mesmerising garden, there was the garden of the palace as he remembered it. The butterflies had dissipated into the air and the beautiful woman had changed into Cinder, who was equally beautiful. She gave him an apologetic smile as she twirled the rose in her hands that she'd plucked from the rose bush that was surprisingly real.

'Sorry,' she murmured. She moved towards a bench and sat on it in one gentle motion and patted the seat beside her for him. He sat down beside her.  
'I…umm…came to say sorry,' he said, scratching behind his ear nervously.  
'Whatever for?'  
'Well…I nearly killed you…'  
Cinder didn't face him, instead looking at the rose in her hands with a distant look on her face.

'I can understand why you did it. I feel the same way too,' she said finally.  
Thorne replied with a confused look.  
'I would be lying if I said that I did not want to punish the person behind this. Equal crime, equal punishment.'  
Thorne hadn't been expecting that, but then again knowing the circumstances he should've.  
'I know it sounds like something my ancestors would have said but you would agree too wouldn't you. Unless there's a justified reason for why this is being done then a punishment equal to that of the crime is fair.'

A long silence passed between them before Cinder broke it.  
'How's Cress? I haven't seen her yet…'  
'She's okay now, I suppose. Not as bad as His Majesty is but she's scared I think. I don't know what to do to comfort her.'  
Cinder seemed to ponder on his words for a moment before she slipped her hand gently into his and squeezed.

'Well…Dr…' her voice broke and Thorne had to add in his name when she couldn't say it herself. 'He…he told me that sometimes love is the best cure.'  
Thorne remembered Cress telling him that when she told him about Dr Jayden's call. He'd never really thought about it up till this moment with Cinder sitting beside him.  
'Perhaps,' he said, 'it isn't love itself but rather the _people_ that you love.'  
Cinder looked up at him perplexed.

'Well, think about it. I mean it's easy for someone to say 'I love you' and show sympathy and support. Anyone can do that to anyone else. What is most comforting, though, to anyone, is the actual person they love and hold close. Words can mean a lot and can mean nothing at all to someone but people, especially people they hold close, always mean a lot to them,' he said, frowning at the rose in Cinder's hand, deep in concentration.

'That's true,' she murmured, fiddling with the material of her dress.  
Thorne watched as she adopted her distant look again. Cinder always wore that distant look these days. Even when he'd come, the beautiful garden that she'd made out of her glamour was all because she was somewhere far. Physically she might have been here but her mind had drifted elsewhere, for better or worse Thorne didn't know.

She seemed to read his mind and gave him another apologetic smile.  
'Sorry, I can't help it if I drift off,' she murmured. 'There's just so much going on and I always have to be alert and strong and...well...sometimes I fear it's the only thing that keeps me sane.'  
Thorne nodded in understanding; he knew what she was going through. It was like taking down Levana all over again only, this time, they were clueless as to who their enemy was.

He excused himself when things got too silent and Cinder had started fiddling with the rose again.  
'I'm going to go check on Cress,' he said.  
'I should come by soon but I just feel so guilty. Take care of her for me?'  
He nodded. 'You shouldn't feel guilty. You have no part in what happened to her.'

When he neared the stairs leading back into the quiet hallways of the palace he looked back to see her staring up at the sky with an almost pleading look. He'd known Cinder the most out of all of the others; Cress, Scarlet, Wolf, Jacin, Winter; and he knew what she was like. She was always so selfless, always doing things for others. And every single time she was always the one who got hurt. Always.

One person shouldn't have to carry the burden of millions of others just because they can. Yet she had to.

It wasn't fair.

* * *

**I know this chapter drags a bit… But~ Hopefully next chapter will be a bit more interesting and on time given that I don't get any interruptions! **

**Thank you so much for your kind reviews and patience**

**Arya**


	23. A Missing Piece Of A Puzzle

**I haven't updated for so long!**

**i have a legit reason if you want one...**

**Read on...**

* * *

Winter glided through the palace hallways deep in thought. It had been four weeks since she was last on Luna.

Four weeks since the emperor had been diagnosed with Letumosis.  
Four weeks since Selene had last truly smiled.  
Four weeks and still no sign of an end.

She unlocked the door of Selene's chambers and entered, making her way to the ceiling-to-floor window. She watched as the citizens of Artemesia, that looked like nothing more than a blur of colours, hurried around the main city. Her gaze flickered past the city where the Artemesian Lake was with its narrow and winding path and then beyond to a breathtaking view of Earth. Winter had always loved the view Selene's room offered and on more than one occasion would the two cousins sit and watch the sunrises and sunsets. It reminded her of the old days that she dearly missed.

It had taken Selene a while to get used to Luna's ways- the climate, the food, the culture, the attire. The first few years were hardest for her as everyone around her adjusted to change after change. More than once did she catch Selene looking longingly at Earth. Eventually, the long-lost princess found her place with the help of her friends and loyal citizens. She still looked at Earth though but Cress and Iko always said it was because of the emperor. Winter never thought it true but now there was no denial.

Clothes were the major tipping point for the new princess as she was forced to go from baggy cargo pants and t-shirts to sparkling dresses and heels. She hated the heels, always complaining about how it was so hard to walk around. That was, of course, until Jacin pointed out they were good for kicking people if she was ever in trouble. Winter never heard her complain again. The dresses were easier to settle into for her. Winter still remembered the way she used to scrutinise every dress heavily before wearing them, the way they clung to her body shape and the way they trailed behind her. Iko and Cress had managed to make sure she never wore mechanic clothes again, no matter how much of an argument there was.

A high pitched _ping_ startled Winter out of her thoughts. She spun around thinking someone had entered without her realising. She was alone. The sound came again and Winter plastered herself against the window wishing Jacin had come with her. He would've protected her from whatever it was. The noise came continuously as if it only started after it had sensed her and Winter surveyed the room, trying to make sense of where it was coming from. Finally, her ears and eyes snagged at the bottom drawer of Selene's bedside table and, ever so carefully, she tiptoed towards it.

Praying for it to be harmless, she opened the drawer with the heel of her shoe and peered inside. The drawer was almost empty except for a large portscreen taking up most of the space. It _pinged_ again and, with shaking fingers, Winter scooped it out and sat down on the bed.

_Download data?_

Winter bit her lip. 'Download.'

The screen remained black apart from a percentage as the download began. She waited and waited and she felt her heart rate increase by every passing second.

_Download complete._

'Display data.'

The screen filled with colour and Winter found herself staring into worried eyes of a man she knew all too well.  
'Dr Jayden,' she whispered, her voice barely audible.  
He made no sign of hearing her and the thought struck Winter as stupid the moment she thought it. Of course, he couldn't hear. He must've recorded it before he went to Earth. Before he...

'The fact that you are listening to this means that you have returned safely Your Majesty, and I am glad of that, but it also means something must've happened to me...' Dr Jayden said as his lips turned up into a grim smile. 'It was an honour serving the crown but this isn't about me. There are more important things to discuss.'  
His face turned back into one of concentration.

'Your Majesty you may remember me telling you that I had information of extreme import to tell you. The portscreen you are now in possession of has everything you would need to know and as long as none of this is passed on through devices, it will remain a secret.'

Dr Jayden must've realised the risk of going to Earth but he did it anyway for the sake of everyone's safety.  
He cleared his throat and continued. 'Our research team has deduced that the original cure for Letumosis is the only cure that can be used against any strain of Letumosis.'  
Winter felt her heart sink. The original cure hadn't worked rather it had only sped up the disease.

'The original cure used the antibodies of shells to defeat the pathogens. The person behind this made it so that those pathogens only made it worse. So, theoretically speaking, the original cure _is_ the only cure. That was the information I originally wanted to tell you, Your Majesty, when I originally commed you.'  
Dr Jayden waited a moment as if letting whoever was on the other side, in this case, Winter, register his words. If that was the only cure and that cure didn't work, did that mean there really wasn't any hope?

Dr Jayden continued silencing her trail of thoughts. 'However, since then something else has come to my attention. We knew there was a missing piece to the puzzle after you told us the original cure did not work. There had to be another ingredient or something that could overpower the antibodies damaging effects. That missing piece has proven to be extremely difficult to find...and reach.'

Dr Jayden's voice had taken on a very serious yet sympathetic tone. Winter feared the worst. Even if the missing piece could be found then it was hard to reach according to the doctor. Would they be able to ever get it in time if he ever found it?  
Winter had seen Selene go through grief many times, she and always managed to pick herself up eventually. But this time, with a cure so close yet so far, Winter didn't think she'd be able to.

'It appears Your Majesty-'

Thoughts swirled around Winter's mind clogging her brain.  
_I have found no cure_  
She felt tears forming.

'I have found-'

A sob escaped her. 'No...'

'The missing piece of the puzzle.'

* * *

**Sorry about the format of this chapter...I had to type it up on an app called werdsmith since my computer's playing jokes on me again...it deleted all my Microsoft i.e word, excel etc.**

**That was the first reason for my delay. The second reason is that these past few weeks I've been busy with packing and unpacking in regards to a holiday I went to out of the city (and yes, this time, we did have kangaroos in our backyard it was so cool!). And then ofcourse it's the usual guests that pop up during the New Years break. But here I am so...**

**Thank you for waiting ever so patiently for this update and for your everlasting support, reviews, favourites and follows.**

**Love you guys,**

**Arya**


	24. Of Happiness and Tragedy

**Don't worry...I'm not done with this fanfiction yet...**

* * *

The pristine hallways of the Eastern Commonwealth research labs always reminded Cinder of Dr. Erland. It was in these very labs that she had first met him and in the same labs in which she last saw him. She always thought she saw him somewhere in the throng of researchers hurrying about and was always disappointed when it wasn't true and she hated it. Dr Erland had not lived to see the rebellion nor had he lived to see Cinder reclaim her throne and bring Luna to its full splendour. He had not lived to see Cress grow into a fine young woman or Thorne grow into a man that he would've approved of for his daughter. He had not seen the things that, to him, were once only a dream, grow into reality.

But Cinder made sure he was known for it. When she'd asked for a permanent memorial place to be built on Luna to honour all those who died in service of the queen and who had died for the greater good, she had made sure that Dr Erland was among them. She had made sure he was given a proper burial and was known to all as the man who made everything possible.

Cinder turned the corner and only managed to see a flash of caramel hair before colliding with something solid and falling back with a cry of surprise.  
'I'm so sorry, I-' but her apology was cut short as she watched the woman she slammed into stand up. 'Oh...Yuki!'  
'Your Majesty,' she said with a quick bow as Cinder stood up. 'I always seem to bump into you don't I?'  
'Yes,' Cinder said with a small smile. 'Is everything okay?'  
Cinder had noticed that Yuki looked worried and frustrated but for what reason she did not know.

'Everything's fine,' she muttered but Cinder could tell she wasn't at ease.  
'I was looking for Scarlet.'  
'She left about an hour ago. Maybe more. She received a comm from Luna.'  
'A comm? It was most likely Winter telling her she got back safely...'  
Yuki nodded.

They remained in silence, staring at each other for a long moment before Cinder spoke again.  
'I was wondering if you made any breakthrough with the research for the cure...' Cinder asked her tone hopeful.  
Yuki seemed confused for a moment and then she smiled brightly, a great contrast to her former expression, and beckoned Cinder to walk with her.  
'You see,' Yuki said, 'I've been staying back at the palace for longer hours than I'm supposed to in hope of finding a breakthrough and well...my research seems to be going fairly well. I believe I'm quite close.'

Cinder paused to look at her but when Yuki didn't continue, and instead waited patiently for Cinder to continue walking with her, she found herself walking faster alongside Yuki as if the quicker they walked the faster they would get the cure.  
'How close? What do you know?'  
'From my study of the apple that His Majesty had contracted the Letumosis from and the other former versions of Letumosis I have deduced that the one in the apple is a mix of past versions with a few modifications. Shell antibodies may have cured the former versions of Letumosis but seeing as Miss Crescent Moon Darnel contracted the current version it is most likely not the case for this one. We need antibodies that can kill all three at the same time,' Yuki said, speaking slowly so Cinder could register each word.

She paused in her speech to see if Cinder was listening before continuing.  
'So,' she continued, 'Knowing that, I know that we need to find someone with antibodies that can kill all versions of Letumosis.'  
She turned to Cinder, a pleading look on her face. 'Your Majesty, please, there must be someone you know. Didn't Dr Jayden tell you something? Anything? Please try to remember!'

Cinder's mind was racing to grab hold of everything Dr Jayden had told Cinder and the others. She tried to remember to everyone's words, anything that could help and finally, after what seemed like ages of thinking the voices of Dr Jayden, Cress and Thorne filled her head as if her netscreen were playing an audio.

_Sometimes the answer to our problems is closer than we realise. _

_Perhaps it isn't love but rather the people that you love._

_And sometimes the best cure, the best remedy is love. _

In shock, Cinder stumbled a few steps before regaining her balance. She stopped in the middle of the hallway, sorting through the words and the voices, reading in between the lines, filling the gaps and drawing conclusions. Her face justice showed something for Yuki raced back to her and shook her arm, snapping her back to reality.

'What?' Yuki asked, her tone urgent. 'What?!'  
'The missing piece...the person...I-It's-It's...'  
'It's what?' Yuki cried out shaking her arm more viciously. 'It's what?!'  
Cinder looked into Yuki's eyes as her heartbeat gathered speed and warnings flashed across her retina display in a mix of red, orange and green.  
'It's...me.'

Yuki stared at her like she had spoken gibberish. 'What?'  
'It's me!' Cinder cried out, more eagerly than before. 'Don't you see? I'm immune to Letumosis, being a lunar and all, I'm not a shell so my antibodies must be different and I'm the only other person that ate the poisoned apple and actually managed to defeat it naturally!'  
Yuki grinned and beckoned her onward with a wave of her hand. 'Come on then! Let's quickly go to the labs!'

Cinder felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted off her shoulders as she ran after Yuki. She was the missing piece and she could save Kai. Hadn't Dr Jayden been hinting at it? Warnings of increased heart rate and adrenaline scrolled across her vision but she didn't care. She was going to save Kai.

Everything was going to be alright.

Maybe it was because Cinder was so happy with her revelation or maybe because they were running so fast she hadn't realised earlier. Whatever the reason, by the time Cinder's brain picked up the strong vibes that her surroundings were giving off and recognised them it was too late.

The hallway was deserted and looked as though no one had passed the area in ages. A small door was on the left, camouflaged onto the wall that one would not have realised it was there if they didn't know where to look.

But Cinder knew where to look.  
Because she'd been here years ago.  
With the intent to stop a wedding.  
This was the hallway that they'd come to from the secret tunnels that lead to the Emperor's safe house.

Cinder stopped abruptly and took a step back. Noticing her hesitation, Yuki also stopped but she didn't turn around. They remained silent before Cinder found her voice, cautious and fearful.  
'This isn't the right way...the labs are all the way on the other side...We're in the middle of nowhere...'  
Yuki made no move. 'Oh. We must've gone the wrong way.'  
Cinder drew a sharp breath. 'That's not possible. You've been at the palace for years so you should know where you're going! You go to the labs every day...'  
'You should've known we were going the wrong way too...' Yuki said, her voice deadly quiet.

Cinder felt strong hands clasp around her wrists so tightly she thought her metal hand would be crushed. She screamed and tried to wrench her hand free but her attempts were in vain. The grip was strong as iron.  
'Let go of me!' she shrieked, using her cyborg foot to kick at the person behind her. In front of her, Yuki didn't move.

Cinder felt something hard collide into her legs and she fell, losing her balance with a scream. Her hands being gripped behind her was the only thing not causing her to smash, face first, onto the floor. Cinder voiced her pain. Slowly, as though nothing were happening, Yuki turned around, her expression neutral but her eyes gleaming with something Cinder couldn't pinpoint.  
'Oh, My Queen, there is no point in screaming. We're in the middle of nowhere, remember?'

Yuki made her way toward Cinder and bent down so she was staring into her eyes as though she could see all the wires inside Cinder's brain.  
'Oh my, who knew the woman who led the Lunar Revolution and was on the run for months could be so stupid?' Yuki purred, a mock smile on her face. 'Oh didn't you know it was me all along?' she asked with an innocent face when she saw realisation and horror pass Cinder's features. 'Well, now you do. And it's going to end with you.'

She looked behind Cinder, her features instantly moulding into one of authority and determination.  
'Take our little prisoner to our beloved place. I will be there soon. I have some things to take care of first.'  
Whoever was behind Cinder made no move or sound of acknowledging Yuki's command.

Cinder felt the clasp around her hands lessen, and, before she could realise what was happening, she fell to the ground, knocking her head against the cold tiles with a loud _thump. _Her head began to throb and before she could muster the strength to push herself up, she felt the grip around her waist, hoisting her up over the person's shoulders. Cinder shrieked, kicking and screaming and beating the person's back with her fists.

Cinder's netscreen seemed to have picked up on something in all her jerking around. It scanned the person holding Cinder quickly as if it had seen it somewhere before. Cinder stopped flailing around in an attempt to see as much as she could. She could make out urban curls from her view and what looked like a feminie-shaped body. _Where had she seen this person before? _The woman's nails dug into Cinder's flesh and a scream forced its way up her throat.

Yuki took one last look at Cinder before opening the door that led into the tunnels and pulling out a black cloth from inside her pocket. She grabbed hold of Cinder's helpless head and, ignoring Cinder's glares and attempts to headbutt her, knotted it tightly around her eyes. With a satisfactory nod that only Cinder could imagine Yuki doing, she heard footsteps echo as Yuki ran from the scene and felt as Cinder's captor plunged into the dullness of the tunnels.

* * *

**I'm so sorry for not informing you of my temporary hiatus; I've been so busy all holidays with so many things going on and it was hard to find a time to sit and write. In saying that, this chapter isn't as good as I wanted it to be (well for me anyway. I wanted to do a third draft but well I didn't have time for that too so I had to stick to two drafts and a final...) so I do apologise for that as well as making you wait so long.**

**Thank you for all your reviews, favourites and follows and, as always, they do mean a lot to me and any other author as a matter of fact. **

**With all the love I can muster,**

**Arya **


	25. The Race Against Time

**Still a bit frustrated with how the last chapter went; wanted it to be a bit more mysterious but oh well... can't go back now, so here's the next~**

* * *

The mad dash to the seventh floor of the hospital's research wing was exactly that, mad. Scarlet and Wolf raced through the staff who flung themselves to the sides so as not to get shoved over. The looks of desperation on their faces were enough to tell everyone else that they were in a hurry, but for what no one seemed to know. They reached the elevator in a blur and stumbled in when it opened, bending over to catch their breath.

It had all started an hour or two ago when Scarlet had received a comm whilst at the research labs. Winter's face had filled her screen and, in a jumble of hurried words, asked her to call an immediate council meeting. She'd done as she was told and, within an hour, maybe more, everyone was in the Eastern Commonwealth's meeting room, either literally present or looking through screens from Lunar.

All except Cinder.

She'd sent a guard to go find the Lunar queen but he'd come back alone saying he'd checked everywhere for her to no avail. Most likely she was wondering the palace aimlessly as she did, trying to recollect her thoughts and keep her grip on reality. And so, much to Winter's disappointment Cinder was excused from the council meeting.

It had ended in much of an uproar with questions buzzing the speakers and looks of bewilderment being exchanged from screen to screen. The atmosphere had been so tense, Scarlet had been glad for the change before the weight of the meeting settled in. And when it finally did and the atmosphere became desperate enough for everyone to go running in different directions as they were given orders, Scarlet realised that they had been given a burden much heavier than what they'd had before.

And so here they were Scarlet and Wolf, running towards Torin, who was, according to several guards they'd asked on the way, with His Majesty. They reached the room and entered silently so as not to scare Torin or cause discomfort to the emperor. Wolf closed the door behind her as they crept inside, surveying the room for the royal advisor. He stood with his back to them, watching a med-droid inject the emperor with a clear liquid, no doubt to ease his pain. Kai didn't seem to be awake; his eyelids were closed and he was hardly recognisable as his usual sarcastic self with the plagues symptoms finally taking their toll. His skin was marred with splotches and, with a pang of sympathy in her heart for Cinder, his body looked lifeless.

Torin turned around when Scarlet tapped him lightly on his shoulder. He sighed heavily but seeing as Scarlet did not carry an air of devastation or anger, he seemed to relax a little.  
'Did something happen?'  
It was his first question every time one of them came to him. _Did something happen? _Scarlet figured he must've been tired of all the misfortunate cases associated with Scarlet and the others; he naturally assumed something was wrong. Scarlet shook her head.

'How's he faring?' she asked, gesturing towards Kai. Torin's brow creased and he sighed heavily, this time with his sadness as clear as day.  
'Well?' Scarlet asked after he didn't answer her.  
'He hasn't woken up since two days ago. The med-droids have been monitoring his heart rate but it's barely anything like it's slowly making its way into a complete stop.'  
'You don't know that.'  
'He's reached the final stage of Letumosis already Scarlet. He entered it days ago and it just keeps getting worse. Nothing like the doctors has seen before. The splotches are bigger, his skin is as pale as it can go, his body is slowly failing him and they know, they know he only has a while left.'

Scarlet pursed her lips shut. She felt tears stinging at her eyes, threatening to come out. At first, she thought it was because of painful it must've been for Kai and how heartbreaking it must've been for Torin. It was only after she felt a small pang in her heart, however, that she realised it was mostly for Cinder. Cinder, who had lived with her for eight years with neither of them knowing. Cinder, who always had Scarlet's back. Cinder, who had spent days with Scarlet reminiscing over lost family, embracing each other until they had became a family themselves.

The silence had become agonising until Wolf finally spoke up and, as if reading Scarlet's mind, asked the question that she was too afraid to ask.  
'How long is a while?'  
Torin shut his eyes tightly and remained quiet for a long time, steadying his breathing and making Scarlet uncomfortable with what his answer might be. And as always, Scarlet felt the dread coming and wished that Wolf had never asked. But it was too late to take back the question and it was too late to block the answer from her ears.

'A day. At most a day. They said the deadline, after reviewing all blood samples and whatever else they could get their hands on, is tomorrow night.'

Torin's voice pierced the silence which soon returned with a much heavier atmosphere than before.  
'You don't know that,' Scarlet cried out in a desperate attempt to doubt what he'd said.  
'Scarlet, we have technology that is as accurate as you can get and from the many times we've used them, they don't give false deadlines.'  
His words left them in silence yet again.

How stupid had she been thinking that they had all the time in the world? How easy it had been to forget that they were in a race against time when the disease was indulging itself in slow pain. That was when Scarlet realised, Cinder wasn't the only one caught up in fantasy. They had all been living a fantasy; a fantasy of trying to find a cure, thinking that when they did, Kai would still be alive and everything was going to be okay. A fantasy that had sucked everyone in, making them forget that time never stops.

_Time never stops. _

How stupid they had been.

'There is still time.'  
Scarlet turned to Wolf, who'd spoken in a tone that sounded like it was directed to her. He was looking at her with cautious eyes.  
'There is still time to stop this. Knowing what we know, having what we have, we can still save His Majesty.'  
Scarlet watched him quietly. He had always been the one to reassure her where Cinder couldn't; always the one to remind Scarlet what she was here for; always the one to keep her firmly on the ground. Much like Kai to Cinder.

'I think it's time you told me why you came here,' Torin said before Scarlet could say anything.  
'I think it's time we did,' Wolf agreed, pressing his hand into Scarlet's back in a light and comforting way.  
Scarlet looked into Torin's eyes with a new determination behind them, daring him to kill her spirit again. Wolf had reminded her of something very important, something that she'd missed.

It was true that Kai didn't have much time left. But he still had time, however small it may be.

The race was not over yet. They still had a chance.

'Winter found a portscreen hidden inside Her Majesty's drawer back in her Lunar chambers. It was hidden there by Dr Jayden, the head doctor who is no longer in our presence. After calling a council meeting we listened to its contents and, at last it seems, we were able to find out what he wanted to tell us,' Scarlet said it quickly, but clearly enough for Torin to register her words and process them.  
'And what did he want to tell us?' Torin asked, curiosity weaving its way subtly into his features.

'That he found a cure. He wanted to tell us that he found a cure.'

Torin turned his face away from them and made his way to the sofas, falling into one of them with his hands covering his face. His breaths were heavy when, finally, he looked up at Scarlet and Wolf.  
'A cure?'  
'Yes.'  
'You're sure?'  
'Sure as ever.'  
'How...?'

So many things had happened in such a short time, Scarlet found herself trying hard to remember the council meeting as she recounted to Torin bit by bit.

* * *

**This chapter had to be split into like 3 parts so the second part is already done (partly why it took so long to update) and the third is yet to be finished.**

**I was supposed to update yesterday but I got absorbed into **_**Fairest **_**and as a result didn't have much time to finish writing. It was so amazing~  
(Jacin is officially my favourite character. He was always but like it just intensified because he's so epic)**

**Till next time I suppose and thank you for your kind words,**

**Arya**


	26. The Solved Mystery

**Surprisingly this is what took the previous chapter long to update (besides my lack of free time), probably because I had to keep referring back to previous chapters to make sure I didn't miss anything. (Hopefully, I didn't)**

* * *

'_Where's Her Majesty?' Ariel spoke quietly as she surveyed the Eastern Commonwealth's meeting room through her screen even though her frustration was quite clear.  
'We don't know. They couldn't find her but we can't wait for her if this is as important as Winter says,' Scarlet muttered back as Winter slid into her seat. Scarlet found Jacin seated beside Winter looking equally frustrated at Cinder's disappearance at such an important time.  
'Very well,' Jacin said, 'the more time we waste, the more useless this will be.'_

'_So why are we here?' Thorne asked from beside Scarlet. He had his elbows propped up on the table and his chin settled in between his cupped hands.  
'I was in Selene's room when I found Dr Jayden's portscreen. The information on it is quite interesting, but I'll let you listen to it,' Winter recounted before she fell silent and let the video and audio of the portscreen take over._

'_The fact that you are listening to this means that you have returned safely Your Majesty, and I am glad of that, but it also means that something must've happened to me...', Dr Jayden began. 'It was an honour serving the crown but this isn't about me. There are more important things to discuss. Your Majesty you may remember me telling you that I had information of extreme import to tell you. The portscreen you are now in possession of has everything you would need to know and as long as none of this is passed on through devices, it will remain a secret.' _

'_Is it safe to be hearing it like this then?' Wolf asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice.  
'It should be,' Yukito muttered. 'It isn't being passed directly from that device so it can't be traced back to that and council meetings are secured completely from any hacking or eavesdropping.'  
'Hush,' Ariel demanded as Dr Jayden continued._

'_Our research team has deduced that the original cure for Letumosis is the only cure that can be used against any strain of Letumosis. The original cure used the antibodies of shells to defeat the pathogens. The person behind this made it so that those pathogens only made it worse. So, theoretically speaking, the original cure __**is **__the only cure. That was the information I originally wanted to tell you, Your Majesty, when I originally commed you.'_

_The atmosphere surrounding Scarlet was tense as everyone leaned in to hear Dr Jayden as though they couldn't hear him clearly enough. Scarlet wished that wasn't the only thing he wanted to tell them._

'_However, since then something else has come to my attention. We knew there was a missing piece to the puzzle after you told us the original cure did not work. There had to be another ingredient or something that could overpower the antibodies damaging effects. That missing piece has proven to be extremely difficult to find...and reach. It appears Your Majesty, I have found the missing piece of the puzzle.'_

_There was a collective gasp from the members of the Lunar council. Ariel had her hands pressed against her mouth as if she'd bitten her tongue. Jason had bolted upright in his chair and Lily had poked her wide eyes from behind her hair.  
'No way...' Tobias hissed as though they were gossiping about the latest celebrity scandal._

'_I had my first suspicions when I was analysing the poisoned apple beside both your and His Majesty's blood samples. You were delicate and precious to everyone and now, it seems, in more ways than one. Not only are you our beloved queen, thank the stars, but you are also His Majesty's only escape from this strain of Letumosis. Your Majesty, you are the missing piece of the puzzle. The miracle we've been searching for.'_

'_You're kidding me...' Thorne's voice was so soft Scarlet wouldn't have heard him if he hadn't spoken into her ear unintentionally.  
'Surprise,' Winter whispered before letting Jayden continue._

'_You see Queen Selene, you are quite unique compared to other Lunars and it isn't because of your cyborg parts. You were the only girl that we know of who had not been in contact with Letumosis through Levana's means. You contracted it naturally, if it could even be called that, and got rid of it naturally. Same goes for the other versions of Letumosis you've come into contact with. That means that you're the only person with an immune system and antibodies strong enough to kill any version which is evidence to make my theory a fact. You ate the poisoned apple Your Majesty, yet you did not become sick. You didn't even show symptoms and you didn't become sick after your numerous visits to Emperor Kai.'_

'_All this time. All this time and the answer was right in front of us!' Jacin grumbled, shoving a few strands of hair out of his face.  
'The answer to our problems is closer than you think,' Winter whispered, quoting what Dr Jayden had told them._

'_Creating the cure is quite simple, given that you have the original cure as a basis, the poison from the apple and a blood sample of yourself, My Queen.' _

_Scarlet and the others listened on in intent silence as Dr Jayden explained the method of creating the cure that could save Cress and Kai. The moment the whisper of what was to be his final goodbye to Cinder left his lips, everyone when chaotic.  
'A cure! We have a cure!' Yukito cried out, high-fiving Tobias as smiles spread across everyone's faces. Ariel seemed relieved as she and Jason sighed in unison._

_But the relief and happiness was short-lived. Where there was a problem and an answer, there was always work to be done in between and the council knew that more than anyone. Ariel and the other council members of Luna were soon gone, rushing to tell the researchers on Luna about the discovery and drafting out the announcement to the citizens should the cure be successful. _

'_I think we should split up. It'll be quicker and more convenient that way,' Scarlet suggested as they cancelled the comm.  
'Agreed,' Thorne said, and then in a sterner tone, ' But I'm telling Cress about this before I do anything else.'  
Scarlet nodded, knowing that no matter what she said, his care for Cress would always win. 'Wolf and I will go to Torin and tell him and then we'll go find Cinder and tell her. You and Jacin,' she paused when she felt Jacin glaring at her, 'will go to the research labs because it's close to where Cress is and inform them about all of this.'_

'_I'll go tell the research lab,' Jacin muttered, maintaining his glare toward Scarlet. 'The sooner they know, the quicker we can have a cure. Besides, it will take a while telling everything to Cress, provided that she is fit enough to comprehend.'  
Scarlet knew Jacin was being reasonable but she had a slight feeling that it was also because he didn't trust Thorne as much as everyone would've liked him to.  
'Fine,' she grumbled before she and Wolf rushed out towards where Torin would most likely be._

At first, after she'd finished, Scarlet thought Torin was in shock and that he was about to faint. He was as pale as Jacin's hair by the time she'd finished recounting and had to slouch back in the sofa he was seated at stare up at the ceiling as if he couldn't look at either of them while he registered everything. Scarlet bit her lip patiently until, finally, he stood up and looked at them.

'A cure...stars, that could change everything!'  
'It could,' Scarlet nodded.  
Torin's gaze went past her and to Kai, who was sleeping peacefully, if Scarlet could even call it that, unaware of the tense atmosphere around him.  
'Do the researchers know?'  
'Jacin's gone to tell them. No doubt he already has. They must be getting everything they need ready.'

Scarlet started when Wolf's quiet voice filled the silence after her voice; she'd been so absorbed into telling Torin what had happened, she'd momentarily forgotten he was with her.  
'Speaking of which,' he said, 'We should go find Cinder. After all, they do need her for it too. And we do need to tell her about this too.'  
'What do you mean find her? Wasn't she at the meeting with you?' Torin asked, surprised. No doubt he'd thought Cinder would've been the first to be informed.  
Scarlet shook her head. 'We couldn't find her and well, Winter said it was important so we just let her be.'

Torin sent a final hopeful look toward Kai before they filed out of the visitor's room to look for the Lunar queen who was no doubt walking in her own delusions.  
'Where do we start?' Torin asked as they shuffled into the elevator.  
'The gardens. Seems like the most typical place for her to be when she's wondering in her own thoughts,' Scarlet said, taking down a mental note of other places where she would be.

There was no sign of Cinder. Scarlet, Wolf and Torin had been walking around for at least two hours to no avail; Cinder was nowhere to be seen. They'd checked the research labs but Fateen had told them that she hadn't seen Cinder at all. They'd checked the emperor's private chambers which were, to their dismay, empty. They'd searched the gardens and the most common hallways. Finally, after what probably had seemed ages, they'd decided to walk through the not-so-common hallways of the palace entertaining the thought that maybe Cinder had wandered off somewhere there.

They walked through the most desolate hallway Scarlet had come across yet. She didn't even know this part of the palace had existed until Torin had led them through endless crisscrossing hallways. They made small conversation now and then, but it mostly always ended in awkward silence.

'I really hope we find her in time,' Torin muttered, as he peered through one of the windows they passed.  
'She couldn't have walked far,' Wolf shrugged, but the way he'd said it made Scarlet doubt it.  
'I just hope,' Scarlet began with a long sigh, 'that this all ends quickly and peacefully.'  
'What's that supposed to mean?' Wolf asked, patting her reassuringly on the shoulder.

But that didn't help. It hadn't come to Scarlet's mind until she'd recounted the council meeting to Torin. Someone had been behind all this in the first place. Someone who wanted Cinder to suffer, to feel pain and agony beyond repair. Someone had struck them countless times. Scarlet had dreaded the thought the moment it had struck her but there was no denying its possibility.

That someone, had they found out about the cure, would no doubt try to strike again.

Lost in her thoughts, Scarlet had not realised that they'd made it to the middle of the hallway and had come to a slow stop. Maybe Torin or Wolf was tired and needed to stop for a moment; they'd done that quite a few times in the past hour.  
'I just hope,' she said with a simple shrug, 'that whoever was behind this doesn't know about the cure. I hope they don't strike again.'

Torin was about to say something when Wolf stiffened beside Scarlet and stared at the floor behind him. They both looked towards Wolf for an explanation but he did not give one. Instead, he moved past Torin towards a door that could have easily camouflaged if Wolf had not touched it and bent down as if picking something up. He stood up but his back was still turned to them. Torin and Scarlet shared a look of concern.  
Scarlet was about to ask him what was wrong before he turned around, his face grave as he stared at the object in his hands.

'Maybe they already have,' Wolf said as he tilted his cupped hands so Torin and Scarlet could see the beautiful flower hairpin that rested in the middle. Scarlet recognised it instantly as a hairpin she'd seen almost every day, that is if it matched to the outfit. It was a hairpin of much beauty that emperor Kai had given to his beloved.

It was, without a doubt, Cinder's favourite hairpin.

* * *

**Aaah, flashbacks...**

**I had to add Jacin a bit more in here because, well, he's my favourite character and I think he deserves a few more lines because of that. . .  
I decided to merge part 2 and 3 of the original chapter 25 together so that concludes that.**

**Thank you again for the generous reviews and all the other things that you continuously bless this story with.**

**Arya**


	27. The Girl Blinded By Hatred

**Oh...well...umm...Hi there...**

* * *

_The night was silent as she tossed and turned in bed, trying in vain to drift away into pleasant dreams. She heard her mother singing softly to the baby girl that would be in her arms and heard her father as he cooed, causing her little sister to giggle brought a smile to her face._

_Everything was perfect._

_It started almost an hour or two into midnight. At first there was only one; a loud howl, filled with anger and longing. It sent a chill down her spine and made her wriggle under her quilts further. She listened for any noise from her parents' room but there was none. _

_And then another pierced the silence of the night. And another and another until it was all one could hear. She clasped her hands over her ears in a failed attempt to block out the noise. Their howls were deafening and soon she heard people screaming, glass shattering, alarms wailing. _

_But they were all distant. They were all in the background. Her baby sister's shrieks filled her ears. Her mother's terrified voice trying to soothe her only made her cry more. Her father's alert voice and his footsteps as he no doubt went to the window to see what was going on._

_She didn't need to go to the window, though; she could see it all from her bed. They ran at speeds one could only dream of running at and smashed doors and windows. People lay on the floor with blood pouring out of them. They snapped necks with their teeth and scaled buildings before jumping onto terrified people. _

_They were merciless._

_They were animals hell-bent on killing. There was no stopping them._

_She heard a large sound coming from her parents' room. Jumping out of bed, she shoved her caramel hair out of her face before she crept towards the room. The door was wide open when she got there. Her feet stalled beneath her and she stood rooted to the spot, her eyes wide open as she drank in the scene._

_He was nearly twice her height with a body frame that looked like he could squash her with his fingertips. He was hunched over her father, whose neck was positioned awkwardly. He dropped him and with a thud, her father fell onto the millions of glass pieces that were once a window scattered across the floor. _

_She couldn't scream. She couldn't move. All she could do was watch. Hadn't the night been perfect only a few hours ago?_

_Her mother saw her through eyes that were filled with tears. She was still clutching onto the baby who was wailing uselessly. The man snatched the baby out of her hands and, without a second thought, snapped her neck with ease. Her mother let out a scream. _

_As the man picked her mother up, she turned around and looked directly into the fearful eyes of her eldest daughter._

'_Run...Yuki...Run...'_

_Her words came out as barely as a whisper before he opened his mouth wide and locked them around her throat. Tears streaked down her cheek as she ran silently through the house. She ran down the stairs and into a small cellar, locking the door behind her before she shut herself in a small cupboard that she'd managed to squeeze into. _

_She heard footsteps and voices outside not soon after. _

'_Did you find her?'  
'No Alpha. Not yet. Until we do, keep searching for her and destroy everything in your way. Give these puny Earthens a lesson.'  
'Of course, Thaumaturge.'_

_She heard loud footsteps disappear up the staircase and heard yet another bloodcurdling howl. _

_She clamped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from screaming._

'_Your Majesty?' _

_There was the sound of static from the portscreen before another voice sounded, more feminine and beautiful this time. _

'_Continue our attacks on Earth. This is what the Earthens want after all. If they are so useless that they can't even find a silly little girl then I'll find her myself. And if anyone asks, you can tell them quite sweetly before you dispose of them that this is all Linh Cinder's fault. If she is too cowardly to come find me, then I will come find her.' _

_The portscreen shut off with a small sound and the thaumaturge's steps died away after a long moment. Yuki found herself shaking with rage. _

_Everything was perfect. And then her father went, and then her mother and then her sister. No, this was not supposed to happen. _

_It was not her fault she was so weak. It was not Earthens fault that they weren't prepared. _

_It was that girl's fault. Linh Cinder. It was all her fault. _

_And it would always be her fault._

_Yuki hugged herself closer, still in the cupboard and let her tears and sobs run free._

_She stayed there until the attacks were called off. She stayed there until there were no more soldiers. And then, finally, when she'd deemed it safe, she crawled out. _

_But she crawled out not a young and naive girl anymore. _

_She crawled out as a girl who swore to herself that she would right the wrong and punish those that were responsible. She would avenge her family._

_By any means possible._

* * *

She peered at the screen where a camera was displaying the proceedings to her from the cellar. She sat with a frown etched on her features as she watched the girl bound in chains slump over as another series of lashes rained down on her back.

The girl looked terrified each time her eyes caught sight of her nemesis. She didn't see why; when the woman was so beautiful with her auburn locks and onyx eyes.

Shouldn't you love your family, instead of hate them?

The portscreen to the left of the table began to ring and, startled, she picked it up and answered just as a neutral face washed over her.

'Yuki?'  
'Yes Li?' she said, forcing her voice to be calm and soft.

Li's eyes swept over the background of where Yuki was, with all its lavish furniture and silence.

'Where are you?' he asked after a long moment, a frown on his face.  
'Oh...um...I was just at um...my friend's place...' she murmured sheepishly.  
'Oh...'

He didn't believe her. She knew he didn't believe her. _No matter. Everything was going according to plan._

'Well. . . I just wanted to let you know that you've got the rest of the day off.'

_Perfect. Everything was going according to plan._

'That's great Li, but may I ask why?' Yuki wasn't one to question Li much, but curiosity got the better of her.

'Well, we have enough people to ensure that the antidote is going to be made properly.' He was smiling now like all his troubles had gone away.

But Yuki was frowning now. Antidote? There wasn't an antidote! The shell girl had proven so.  
'What antidote? To the Letumosis His Majesty has?'

'Yes!' Li's smile went from ear to ear. 'Can you believe we've finally found one? I thought Fateen would've told you but I guess we were all so elated that we must've forgotten. The key to the antidote was quite a surprise actually; it was the antibodies fro-'

He was interrupted by a hoarse and painful scream.

Yuki whipped her head around to stare at the screen. It was, without a doubt, her prisoner, screaming as blood dripped from all directions onto the floor. Yuki cursed under her breath. The prisoner's nemesis clamped a hand over her mouth, effectively silencing her. She returned her gaze to the portscreen to see Li frowning, craning his neck as if to try see what was going on.

'What was that?'

'Nothing. What were you saying about the antidote?'

'Yuki.'

'It was just my friend's baby sister throwing a tantrum. Whose antibodies was it?'

Li was silent. Something in one of the many cameras she'd set up along the tunnel caught her eye. The door connecting the tunnels and the palace opened. She cursed and turned around to see Li still staring at her cautiously.

'Whose antibodies was it Li? Who was the key to the antidote?' Her voice had become quiet and filled with venom.

Li didn't answer. The door to the tunnel opened wider and a few figures stepped in.

She cut the call.

Jumping out of her chair, she grabbed the knife that had been resting on the table beside the portscreen. Tucking it into her sleeve, she marched out into the cellar room.

_No one was going to interfere. _

_Everything was going to go according to plan._

_She would get what she wanted by any means possible._

She smiled at the thought, the blade of the knife cool against her skin.

_By any means possible indeed._

* * *

**I've had a very busy start to March...hence, the reason the update is like a month late...**

**Forgive me, though, I'll try my best to update as often as I can, amongst all the things that have come barrelling towards me.**

**Thank you, though, for your continued support and reviews and such. You truly are amazing people~ **

**With love,**

**Arya **


	28. A Grand Entrance

**Sorry for such a delayed and short update!**

* * *

She counted the seconds slowly as though she were counting the seconds towards her death.

_1..._

_2..._

Maybe she was counting towards her death. She shut her eyes tightly, taking in shaky breaths as she heard the snake slither around the floor, preparing to attack.

_3..._

_4..._

She heard the quiet laughter of the woman standing in front of her; the music to which the snake moved to. She heard the footsteps of another further away but was too weak to acknowledge it any further.

_5..._

_6..._

The snake leaped into the air, hissing as it towered over her.

_7..._

_8..._

She waited what seemed like an eternity as though the snake were trying to figure out where to strike next.

_9..._

_10..._

She let out an agonising scream as the snake's fangs sank into her skin. The woman shrieked with laughter and the snake continued to bite her viciously, stooping up for mere seconds before diving back in again. She screamed until she felt her voice being lost amongst desperate sobs.

'I think that's enough.'

The voice was quiet and calm but did nothing to soothe her nerves. Cinder felt her body fall to the floor uselessly and felt her clothes become more soaked with blood than they already were. The whip retracted and the second pair of footsteps came closer until they were standing within reaching distance of her face.

'Well, I'd always dreamed of what it would be like to torture the queen of Luna. I must say, I underestimated myself; this is so much better than a net drama.'

Cinder caught sight of Yuki's smile as the other woman bent down and jerked Cinder in an upright position, holding her tightly so she could not fall back. Cinder frowned, but did not dare look at the other woman who was beside her; it brought back memories she'd rather forget.

Yuki seemed to notice and smiled, feigning innocence.

'I see you've met your favourite person in the world,' she said. 'From what I saw it was a happy reunion wasn't it?'

When Cinder didn't respond, she stood up and paced back and forth before Cinder, talking as though nothing had happened.

'It was silly of you to stay in the Commonwealth, even after all the chances you've had to run away. Your silly little crush is getting you nowhere but hell,' Yuki said, spitting out the last words with as much hatred as she could put in.

'You are a fool to believe that.'

Yuki spun around to face Cinder, who had spoken so quietly, only one who was listening carefully would hear. Cinder mustered up all the strength she had and spoke again.

'You are a fool if you believe that I stayed because of him only,' she whispered. 'My loyalty lies with the people of Luna and my every intention lies with helping them. I stayed for them. If I had gone back when the Emperor fell sick would it not have looked like I was the one who poisoned him? Had I gone back, Luna would've felt the pain. Isn't it wise that I, as their queen, stay behind and take the pain rather than them?'

'THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE OF LUNA!' Yuki screeched. 'You stayed because of him because you loved him! And now I'm going to show you what it's like to have the people you love taken away from you! I'm going to show you what it's like to lose the people you love and it's going to be your fault! Just like it was your fault that my family is gone!'

Cinder pursed her lips. She'd been told of Yuki's revenge story as Yuki entertained herself with watching Cinder be tortured. She had told her of every plan, every detail and every moment.

Cinder could almost picture it the way she was picturing her death; bleeding helplessly to death with no one every knowing.

It was then, just as Yuki opened her mouth to say something that the noise of thudding feet came to Cinder's attention. They were loud and inconsistent as though there was more than one person. Feebly, she looked up to Yuki to see whether she had been expecting it. Yuki looked outraged.

The look made Cinder smile. It meant that she hadn't been expecting it. It meant that help was coming.

It meant that her friends were coming.

She laughed.

The woman beside her clamped a hand over Cinder's mouth but Cinder didn't care. Yuki took a few steps back until she was standing beside Cinder and she outstretched her arm so her hand was pointed at her head.

Their eyes remained set on the door for a long moment as the footsteps grew louder and more urgent.

The door burst open and broke into jagged shards that scattered across the blood-stained floor.

Cinder didn't tear her eyes away from the doorway.

She met Wolf's eyes.

* * *

**Sorry again for such a short update. I took this month...hiatus...thing...to figure out the rest of the story in a lot more detail than I had originally and so now that I have it in as much detail as possible it won't take me as long to write them as it does now, which means quicker updates given I have time. ~**

**I was also busy with the usual school and thank you so much for being so patient and faithful! You guys really are such a motivation to write each chapter and I cannot thank you enough.**

**With lots more love than I could ever express,**

**Arya **


	29. The Beginning of the End

**You've been waiting long enough so without further ado I present you Chapter Twenty-Nine. **

**Enjoy.**

* * *

Wolf's eyes were wild with fury as he took in the scene; Cinder on her knees with the woman's hand clamped over her mouth and Yuki standing on the other side of her with a look she couldn't quite place. The others filed in behind him, weapons drawn.

'You joined us sooner than I expected,' Yuki said simply as though everything was going the way she wanted it to.

'Well, now that you've joined us might I introduce you to my special guest,' she said with a sly smile as she gestured to the women on Cinder's right.

Cinder let out an instinctive scream as memories of whips hailing down on her flashed before her eyes like a video on her retina display. Wolf's hands twitched as though he were ready to lunge forward and strangle the woman.

'It's funny, don't you think,' Yuki continued, 'that a girl who was supposedly smart enough to overthrow her aunt can't even figure out truth from lie when under pressure.'

'She isn't under pressure.' Hearing Scarlet's voice made Cinder relax but not enough to take her insanity away. At least, that's what she thought it was.

'You've tormented her,' Scarlet hissed. 'You've driven her crazy. It's not because she's under pressure. It's because you've messed with her mind. You've driven her to the point where she believes everything she sees will harm her, including a fake Levana.'

Cinder furrowed her brow and shook her head as much as she could. No the woman beside her was not fake. The woman beside her was very real.

'She's not fake,' she muttered, shaking her head again. 'She's not fake.'

'See?' Scarlet's voice bordered on a new tone of anger.

'Be careful Scarlet, she's not fake.' Cinder heard herself choke on the words and felt herself getting dizzy. She swayed forward, but the very real Levana beside her caught her and pulled her back upright with a force Cinder felt powerless to.

'You're going to pay for that,' a new voice that Cinder thought belonged to Thorne growled.

'You're going to pay a lot,' Wolf hissed.

And then he lunged forward.

He grabbed hold of Levana and, in front of Cinder's eyes, cracked her neck sideways. Cinder heard sounds she knew only too well; metal scraping and bending, wires sparking as they were snapped in half.

Cinder stared at Wolf with fearful eyes as he dangled the broken body of an android in front of her.

'See, fake,' he said and then he threw Levana to the side of the room as though she were nothing.

She felt a pounding headache approaching. She turned to Yuki who was looking at the androids broken body, void of any emotion.

'How dare you,' she hissed her voice low. 'How dare you come in and think that you can just interfere with everything that I took so long to plan.'

Jacin, who Cinder just noticed was there, reached for his waist where she knew a dagger was hidden.

Yuki seemed to see it from the corner of her eyes and gave a wicked smile. 'Not so fast.'

She gave a little clap of her hands and backed away towards the door closest to her. Wolf fell into his usual fighting stance. Jacin pulled out his dagger as Scarlet and Thorne loaded their guns.

Yuki felt for the doorknob and, without a moment's hesitation, pulled the door open and shielded herself with it.

The room flooded in with androids that were no doubt positioned there to protect the emperor in case something happened.

Or in this case, rewired to protect Yuki.

They filed in and swarmed around her friends who were all standing in various parts of the room, ready to attack. Cinder crumpled to the floor as one knocked her over on its way.

A shot rang out as Thorne directed his gun at one of the android's chests. It fell to the floor uselessly and before he could react, one came from behind Thorne and grabbed his arm in a tight grip. He growled in frustration and slammed his elbow into it but the grip didn't deter. His weapon was sent flying out of his hands as another one slammed its fist into his chest, making him double over. He recovered quickly and spun around, aiming a kick at the android's head.

Cinder noticed Scarlet was in a similar situation although her gun was still clasped in her hand and she was waving it around, yelling threats at them before kicking wildly. She managed to pry her hand free of an android's grip and spun around, slamming the gun onto its head. The metal caved in and formed a huge dent on its head before Scarlet shot it through the neck, letting its head fly off.

Wolf was fighting with ease, grabbing androids with little effort and cracking their bodies, before tossing them into a large pile he'd made. Still, Cinder could tell he was growing frustrated with the amount of androids there were and angrier as more swarmed around him. One brought out what looked like a knife and directed it at him but it was soon on the floor, unmoving and disjointed.

Jacin was dashing through the androids surrounding him jabbing them with his dagger wherever he knew wires were. He slammed a fist into one's head, making it stumble backwards and fall onto another android in a mini-domino effect. He too, however, seemed to be getting tired as more and more androids fought back, some with knives and others with strong metal fists.

From where Cinder was, she knew, even with her body on the fritz, that it would no doubt be a fight that needed much more people than they had. Even with all their strengths, she knew they couldn't last long; androids had a way of winning, whether it through their metal forms or inbuilt tasers and electric weapons.

The thought lingered in her mind for a long moment as she tried to push herself up onto her knees. She couldn't be the weak girl she once was. That girl had left ages ago.

Cinder would not be that girl again.

She _could _not be that girl again.

Shaking vigorously she managed to sit up before freezing almost instantly. She felt something cool and sharp against her neck and her eyes slowly made their way upwards before landing on eyes that were blinded with rage.

Yuki loomed over her, a knife protruding from her sleeve pointing dangerously at Cinder's neck. Cinder willed herself to be calm as she watched Yuki wave the knife around threateningly.

'You don't know how long I've been waiting for this,' she hissed, with such poison that Cinder had ever heard from her. 'There's no way I'm going to let you go. Not without my revenge.'

Someone shouted her name, maybe Jacin, but it sounded distant and distorted as Cinder faced her. Warnings scrolled across her vision in a jumble of words that she tried to push away.

'Things don't have to be this way,' she whispered but Yuki just shook her head in denial. 'We can work things out together. You know I never wanted a war! No one wanted a war but Levana!'

'You knew what would happen!'

'It was for the best. Everything we did was for the best! Would you rather be living under a tyrant right now?'

Cinder knew she was pleading, but it wasn't for her sake.

It was for the sake of her friends, who'd sacrificed so much for her.

It was for the sake of Kai, who'd fallen ill for her.

It was for the people of both Earth and Luna who relied on her to make things better.

But most of all it was for Yuki herself; to see reason and come to her senses so she would not be punished. So she would not be harmed for what she was doing. For what she was about to do.

Yuki shook her head faster and more definite.

'Don't. You were the reason she waged war on Earth! You were the reason my family isn't here! Why is it that you, the cause of all of this, is still alive when my family, who did nothing, are not?! Tell me! Why?!' Yuki was screaming, hot tears rushing down her flushed face but even though she was shaking, the knife in her hand never wavered away from Cinder's throat.

It all happened in a blur.

A horrified scream was wrenched out of Yuki as she was pulled back by Jacin, who Cinder only recognised through the flash of blonde hair. He held her back tightly but Yuki kicked wildly, screaming and punching, trying to get herself free. Jacin suddenly let go as his body jerked forward, eyes widening in shock. He stumbled and Cinder heard a thud accompanied by a groan of pain. She heard the beep of an android behind him.

And then she was over Cinder, screaming curses and threats, screaming of how she would get her revenge. Her eyes were rimmed with red and pure hatred had engulfed the small innocence that remained, trying to fight against her strong revengeful desire.

She heard the pounding of feet draw closer.

She heard her own pleas, her own cries for Yuki to save herself, for her friends to get away.

She heard Wolf's voice from behind Yuki as he reached them and grabbed Yuki's spare arm about to pull her away.

But before he could, Cinder saw the hysterical smile etched across Yuki's features as the blade went in and Cinder's world went dark.

* * *

**Thank you so much for your patience for this chapter to come (I have been completing assignments and preparing for my exam weeks which I am currently in the middle of but I needed a break and so I found myself compelled to write). **

**You may also have realised that the story is coming to a close and there is maybe a chapter or two left to write, I'm not entirely sure.**

**Thank you again for your continuous support and I hope to get the next chapter to you soon.**


	30. To Set A Heart Free

_Here it is- the final chapter. I really don't know what to say. . . _

* * *

He leaned against the window of his office staring out, deep in thought. It was a picturesque place, the palace gardens, mixed with the perfect proportions of blues and greens and dotted with various colours from bright reds to pastel violets to colours that the eyes could not comprehend so easily.

All the flowers were in full bloom and all the trees stood tall and strong. It seemed almost mystical and he felt as though they were calling out to him to join them.

If he answered their call and went down there would he lose himself in what looked like a magical bliss? Would he disappear in a shimmering light and be sucked into a place where time stood still and dreams came true?

He almost did answer. _Almost. _But then the logical side of his thoughts took over.

_The Eastern Commonwealth needs you. What would become of it if you were to leave? Is this what an emperor does? Is this what she wanted? Is this how you repay her? _

He felt a single tear slip down his cheek and made no effort to wipe it away. His mind had been in constant conflict ever since he'd been cured from what they'd called the second mutation of Letumosis.

Or rather, his mind had been in conflict once he'd found out what had happened, down in the desolate rooms of the safe house. He'd laughed when that thought had struck him. Laughed because how was that house supposed to keep the emperor safe when that was the very place where evil was? Laughed because that was the very place a battle had been fought and people's lives had been lost? Laughed because he didn't want to believe it, didn't want to believe that not one, but two, people had died.

Died in a place meant to keep people safe.

He remembered the events clearly, as though it were happening right before his eyes. He'd been cured and everyone had been so happy, so relieved. Even he, before he'd asked the one question they'd been avoiding.

'_Where's everyone else?' he'd asked one morning, waking fully healed for the second time in four days after having taken the antidote. _

'_Everyone else?' Torin's voice had an edge to it, as though he knew well who Kai was talking about._

'_Thorne, Scarlet, Wolf, everyone else with them...Cinder.'_

_An emotion that Kai couldn't quite place flitted across Torin's face before he moulded it back into diplomatic seriousness. _

'_They returned to Luna the same day you were given the antidote.'_

'_Oh...are they okay? I mean, from what you've told me and from what I've seen of the crime scene it was quite a fight.'_

'_Yes, Your Majesty. Most of them have various scars but nothing too serious. Except...'_

_He hesitated then, mid-sentence. His composure faltered and then collapsed all at once. His shoulders drooped and his hands went limp by his sides._

_Helpless, he looked helpless. _

'_Torin, except what?'_

'_I...Your Majesty...I'm terribly sorry...We tried to revive her but...'_

'_Torin.' _

_Kai wasn't sure whether he'd heard Torin's reply right. He blinked several times but Torin's helpless and sympathetic image did not go away. Maybe he was still hallucinating. He pinched himself but nothing changed._

'_You're lying.' _

'_I'm sorry, Your Majesty. They took her to Luna but that was all we've heard. We haven't been in contact with them since.' _

He felt another tear fall down his other cheek and again, he made no attempt to stop it. The memories were too painful and sometimes he felt himself wishing there had never been an antidote.

He would've joined her in the place where all the souls go and they could've been together until the end of time.

And again, just as quickly as the thoughts came, the voice in his head came back.

_What of the Eastern Commonwealth? Is this what she sacrificed herself for? Is this what she fought for? For you to leave and turn your back on everything everyone ever fought for? Is this how you repay her?_

His thoughts turned to the young assistant researcher. He still didn't know what to think of her. He blamed her for causing all the trouble they went through. But he knew that he couldn't blame her, not when her mind had been so distorted by grief, by pain, by misguided thoughts.

But even then, a small part of him, just a small part, was glad she wasn't here. Glad that she'd taken her own life after that as well before they could stop her. He wouldn't have to face the girl, wouldn't have to look into the very eyes she'd seen last, wouldn't have to look at the very hands that had shoved the knife into her beating heart.

Wouldn't have to look at the girl who'd stopped that very beating heart, who'd killed the one woman who'd achieved so much more than everyone had thought possible. The one woman whom everyone had misjudged. The one woman who'd proved everyone wrong countless times.

The one woman that was Her Majesty Queen Selene of Luna.

Or to him, Cinder.

It had been more than two years since the very day of her death, but he still could not move on. How was one supposed to move on when he was desperately clinging onto the memories that had helped him breathe when he'd been struck down with Letumosis?

How was one supposed to let go, supposed to set a heart free when they didn't want to?

He heard the overhead speakers crackle before words began to pour out of them.

_Advisor Konn Torin requesting permission to enter. _

A part of him wanted to say no, but then he remembered how much Torin had been there for him. He'd been the one to handle the press all the times Kai couldn't face them. He'd been the one to help run the country when Kai couldn't do it alone.

'Permission granted.'

He made no motion of moving away from the window, still battling the decision of whether he should lose himself in its serenity or stay up in his office where documents crowded his portscreen all desperately trying to vie for his attention.

He made no motion to cover the tears that streaked his face. Torin was accustomed to seeing them now. He, himself, was accustomed to feeling them on his face.

'Your Majesty.'

He nodded, urging Torin to go on without the need to be face to face.

'There is someone here to see you,' his voice was in its usual diplomatic tone but there was a hint of something else, something Kai could not quite pinpoint, behind it.

'Who is it?' Kai's voice was low but he didn't care. It was a miracle he'd spoken in such a state in the first place.

'I'd rather you come and see for yourself.'

He sighed deeply before, finally, moving away from the window and wiping his face with a damp towel from the tray on his desk before following Torin out of the room. They walked down the corridors and to the lifts in silence. The palace workers that saw them gave him sympathetic smiles, some even lowered their gaze. They all knew what he was going through in one way or another. He'd heard the whispers that flew around.

_The queen is dead. The Eastern Commonwealth's most powerful ally is in ruins. They say Princess Winter took the throne but Luna says nothing. It's as quiet as ever. Do you think they're preparing revenge? _

_The poor emperor. He must be dealing with so much now. He must still be weak from Letumosis. He must be trying to settle matters with Luna. But how can one settle matters with Luna when they have gone impeccably silent?_

He was grateful for their concerns about him but he'd learned to shut them out over time. He'd learned to focus his mind, to carry around a diplomatic aura each time he walked around. He'd learned to cover up the broken self that was deep, deep inside of him.

They reached the docks and the cool breeze and sunlight bathed him as though it were welcoming him outside. After all, it had been ages since he'd come to the docks.

He was vaguely aware of Torin stopping a few feet ahead of him to his right. He was vaguely aware of the spaceship, with its encrusted jewels twinkling in the light. He was vaguely aware of a few guards dressed in Lunar colours lining the ship.

But they were not what caught his full attention.

Rather it was a woman standing just off the ships ramp with beautiful brown hair set down in curls and a white dress that outshined any ray from the sun. She was dressed simply yet elegantly and she looked mesmerising.

She was standing tall but her gaze was down, looking at a young girl in thaumaturge red. The girl had her long hair tied up in a ponytail and was waving her hands around animatedly as she talked to the older woman. The woman laughed at the right moments and smiled at the right moments and the girl beamed back in reply.

She murmured something to the girl before her attention drifted to Kai. She paused and the smile she'd been wearing faltered. The girl beside her looked up and took him in with wide eyes. She took a step back quietly and set her gaze on the floor.

He said nothing.

The woman said nothing.

Silence overcame the docks for a long time.

And then finally the woman took a step forward and he did the same before he found himself running towards her at the fastest pace he could. He met her with a crushing embrace, his breath heavy against her neck.

He opened his mouth but no words came. He tried several times before finally, his voice came lower and softer than before.

'I'm not dreaming am I?' he whispered, moving back to look her in the eye.

She took one hand away from where they were wrapped around his neck and pinched his arm so hard he inhaled sharply.

She gave him an innocent smile. 'I guess not.'

'But how? They said you...you were gone...'

'I guess being cyborg has its uses.'

'I don't understand,' he muttered, watching as she slipped out of his embrace and took a small step backwards so they were still close but far enough to see each other properly.

She was silent for a long moment before looking up at him. 'Well, it looks as though my heart is quite strong in more ways than one.'

He gave her a quizzical look in reply. She sighed deeply and looked at him as though he were a child.

'My surgeons thought one day someone would try to stab me...which they were right of course but anyway,' she started.

He noticed that her hands were fiddling with her dress sleeves. A nervous tick, an old habit. He found himself smiling. Two years had passed and she was still the same. Before he could think anything else, she continued.

'The lower two chambers of my heart are partially metal. A strong metal so that if there was ever a situation when a knife would go through me, it wouldn't have much of an effect. My body would shut down, but my heart would still be operational after my body cooled down and was able to function normally.'

Maybe it was because he was so relieved that she was here or maybe it was because he was so grateful to the surgeons that had operated on her. Whichever one it was, it didn't matter, because by the time he'd chosen one he was hugging her again, tears of relief streaming down his face, murmuring her name over and over.

She repeated the gesture with just as much affection.

He noted that it was a very long time before they pulled away again but when they did, he blurted out the one question that had been plaguing him since he saw her.

'Why now? Why did you come two years later? If you were alive all this time, why didn't you come?' his voice was desperate and became more desperate when she gave him a small smile and took his hands in hers.

'Everyone has a different way of readjusting and coming back into a normal life. For me, it was staying on Luna with everyone and having a lot of time to myself to figure things out. It took me a while, but I was finally able to be myself again and then I realised something.'

She paused then and, looking him in the eyes, she took a step closer and squeezed his hands a little tighter. He mentally urged her to continue and she did.

'I realised that I was missing something in my life,' she whispered, 'and I thought it might be you.'

He looked at her eyes, noticing how they looked at him as though she were pleading that it was him and he found himself looking back at her in the same pleading manner. He noticed the young girl near the ship's ramp and noticed Torin beside her, both looking at them with wide smiles and eyes full of happiness.

He took a deep breath before he whispered back a reply. 'And is it Cinder?'

She smiled then, a bright smile that was more radiant than any star he'd set eyes on.

'It is, Kai,' she said, 'It is.'

* * *

_I really hoped you liked the way it ended...It did take me a while to actually figure out how I wanted to start this chapter, it being the final one and all. _

_I wanted to thank all of you for being so patient and faithfully reading, reviewing, liking and favouriting this story of mine and I know that it was such a huge motivation for writing this. I'm so glad that you were able to enjoy my writing and I'm so grateful for everything._

_I've realised I've come a long way while writing this story and it's because of all the constructive feedback that you've given me and the thought of knowing that there are so many people reading this. _

_Thank you so, so, so much for sticking with me to the end and I really do hope you enjoyed reading this from the beginning to the end._

_With more love than words could ever express,_

_Arya_


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